Place Furstemberg

Place de Furstenberg is not actually a square, despite its name. It originated in the late seventeenth century as the entrance courtyard for the Abbatial Palace of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés Abbey. When Cardinal Guillaume-Egon de Furstenberg took over as abbot, he redeveloped the space, which had previously served as the abbey's stables and servant quarters. The circular design was originally created specifically to provide enough room for horse-drawn carriages to enter, drop off guests, and turn around.