Nancy Place Stanislas

Stanislas Leszczynski lost the Polish throne twice and was given the duchy of Lorraine as compensation, and between 1752 and 1755 he had this square built to link the medieval town to the newer one, dedicating it to his son-in-law Louis XV. It is a rectangle of matched classical pavilions, and the detail people remember is the ironwork: Jean Lamour's gilded gates and screens close the corners and frame two fountains by Barthelemy Guibal, gold against pale stone. With the adjoining Place de la Carriere and Place d'Alliance it was UNESCO listed in 1983. Cars were removed and the square repaved for its 250th anniversary in 2005.

What you actually see

• The gilded gates - Jean Lamour's ironwork closing the corners.
• The matched pavilions - a unified classical rectangle including the town hall.
• The Guibal fountains - Neptune and Amphitrite in the corner recesses.
• The linked squares - Carriere and Alliance completing the listed ensemble.

When to go

April to October; a summer light projection covers the facades on evenings from June to September. The square is pedestrian and open always. Nancy also holds strong art nouveau collections.

Honest expectations

The square is the attraction and takes little time by itself; pair it with the Musee des Beaux-Arts, the art nouveau museum or the ducal palace. Cafe prices on the square are high.

Nearby

Metz lies north; the Vosges are southeast.