The famous squares selected by Gérard Denizeau almost always constitute the beating heart of prestigious cities: Red Square in Moscow, Zócalo in Mexico City, place de la Concorde in Paris, Tiananmen Square in Beijing, Trafalgar Square in London, Puerta del Sol in Madrid etc. In spite of their fame, these squares are almost always linked to the surrounding urban framework and should, therefore, not be regarded as isolated achievements.

UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Sites provides a good example of this last characteristic… If the historical centers of old cities occupy a substantial place on the List, squares themselves are extremely rare: Grand-Place in Brussels, Residence Square in Würzburg, Market Square in Bremen, Red Square in Moscow, places Stanislas de la Carrière et d’Alliance in Nancy…

This book presents approximately thirty important squares, representing five continents equally. Each square is presented on ten illustrated pages. Running-text and framed sidebars treat every relevant aspect of their evolution.

The presentation of the monumental inheritance constitutes the largest part of the running-text, accompanied by the history of the square, the great events to which it bore witness, and its transformation with the passage of time…

Other relevant information is provided by means of framed sidebars: cultural events, details of maintenance and restoration, public services, local celebrities…
The listing of these thirty unique squares follows alphabetical order - which accentuates the wandering character of the publication, while providing convenient ease-of-reading.

Introduction

Squares are presented in alphabetical order of the cities of which they form the heart. For each square, running-text presents and comments on the monumental inheritance and its evolution; the history of the square and its role in today’s city…

• Bremen: Market Square
• Brussels: Grand-Place
• Krakow: Market Square
• Katmandou: Durbar Square
• London: Trafalgar Square
• Madrid: Puerta del Sol
• Mexico City: El Zocalo (plaza de la Constitucion)
• Moscow: Red Square
• Nancy: places Stanislas, de la Carrière et d’Alliance
• New York: Times Square
• Paris: place de la Concorde
• Beijing: Tiananmen Square
• Rome: Piazza Navona
• Venice: St.-Mark’s Square
• Würzburg: Residence Square…

Conclusion

Index, overview map of all treated squares, table…