Parks and gardens in Paris: Square du Temple

You probably don’t even suspect that the Square du Temple, a beautiful park in Paris, has a very turbulent history. Once, this place was a theater of bloody repression. Thankfully, today this is a very peaceful and nice park where you can play ping-pong, picnic, sunbathe on the lawn and daydream. Children also love to come here, as there is a very interesting playground where they can play in the sand. Situated near the busy Place the Republique, the Square du Temple is a perfect place to take a break and escape from the city hustle.

History

The Knights Templar, a Catholic military order, built a fortress in Paris in the 13th century. This order became very powerful, and because of that, King Philip IV decided to destroy them. After that, many members of the Knights Templar, considered as heretics, were arrested and burned at stake. In 1312, the order was dismissed. During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI, Marie-Antoinette and other members of the French royal family were detained in the remains of this medieval fortress. It was in 1808 when Napoleon Bonaparte ordered its demolition. Finally in 1857, a beautiful park and a square were created by Baron Haussmann, a man behind the Paris urban renewal program. Today, this is a very peaceful place with many exotic and remarkable trees. No wonder that in 2007, the Square du Temple was labeled “ECOCERT”, as the ecological green space. This park also has an interesting playground for children, a gazebo from 1900, fountains, a pond and an artificial waterfall built using rocks from the forest of Fontainebleau. The grid surrounding this park was designed by Gabriel Davioud, a famous French architect. During the warm summer days, this park is full of people resting on the lawn and picnicking.

Elie Wiesel

In October 2007, in the presence of several hundred people, a new monument was inaugurated in the center of the Square du Temple. This monument has names of 85 Jewish children (from 2 months to 6 years old) who lived in the 3rd Parisian district and were deported in Auschwitz between 1942 and 1944. In June 2017, this park was renamed the “Square du Temple – Elie Wiesel” to pay tribute to Elie Wiesel, a writer, professor, political activist and Auschwitz survivor.

Practical information

The Square du Temple is a park in Paris opened every day, and the entrance is free of charge. During the sunny summer days, this park is open from 8 am to 9:30 pm, and it is a perfect place to have a picnic with your friends and family. Bring a blanket and take a sandwich, a Japanese bento box or a good quality burger served with French fries at the nearby Marché des enfants rouges, and simply enjoy life in Paris.