Tour · Montpellier · Square
Place de la Canourgue
Montpellier's most elegant square, a tranquil gravel esplanade shaded by hackberry trees, ringed by 17th and 18th-century private mansions and centred on the beloved Fountain of the Unicorn.
Su questo luogo
Place de la Canourgue is widely regarded as the most elegant square in Montpellier, a serene rectangle of pale gravel shaded by broad micocouliers, or hackberry trees. It is framed by grand hotels particuliers, the private mansions of the city's noble families, among them the Hotel Richer de Belleval and the richly decorated Hotel de Cambaceres. The square's history reaches back to 1129, when Guilhem VI, lord of Montpellier, chose the site for his residence, and in 1623 it nearly became the seat of a great cathedral before Cardinal Richelieu halted the work after six years. At its heart stands the Fontaine de la Licorne, the Fountain of the Unicorn, carved in the 1770s and moved to the square in 1865, its sculpted unicorns and sea horses making it a cherished local emblem.
Fatti principali
- 1129 year — In 1129 Guilhem VI, lord of Montpellier, chose this rise for his residence and a chapel for relics from the Holy Land.
- 1865 year — The Fountain of the Unicorn, carved in the 1770s, was moved to this square in 1865.
- 6 years — A cathedral begun here in 1623 was abandoned after just six years on Cardinal Richelieu's orders.
📍 Place de la Canourgue 2, 34062, Montpellier