Place de la République

Accessible from every direction, lined with various shops, lively throughout the year, and eternally well-situated, the Place de la République has no shortage of attractions that draw us to it, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Beyond being a great meeting point for locals and a useful landmark for visitors, this square is also a fascinating witness to the city’s history. Its earliest traces go back to the Middle Ages, when Perpignan was still surrounded by ramparts. Back then, it was known as the Coronell d’En Vila, and it already hosted a market — one that played a key role in the town’s development. In 1600, the Jesuit religious order — deeply involved in education — took an interest in the square and built both a church and a school here. They remained until 1774. Around 1799, the Coronell d’En Vila was renamed Place de la Liberté — “Liberty Square” — a name that reflected the spirit of the French Revolution. To mark this new name, the square received the tombs of two major generals — Dagobert and Dugommier — who had both fallen in the Franco-Spanish battle of Sierra Negra in 1793. Their remains were later moved to the Saint-Martin cemetery in 1826, where they still rest today. Between the First Empire and the Restoration — the period when France briefly returned to a monarchy between 1814 and 1830 — the square changed names twice. From Place Napoléon, in honor of the emperor, it became Place Royale, referring to King Louis XVIII. And the market? It never left. It even reached its peak in the late 1880s, when it was turned into a large covered hall inspired by the Baltard style. As you can see, that structure is no longer present, the city eventually replaced it with a car park, which became underground in 2006. Thanks to that change, the Place de la République has reopened and regained its space — giving us a clear view of its colorful façades. Among them, you’ll notice the 1812 theater, and the Fontano House, once one of the oldest shops in Perpignan.