The bustling junction of Place de la République connects the 3rd, 10th and 11th arrondissements. It is one of the more famous Parisian squares with a great, 10-metre statue in the centre, a busy transportation hub (with metro station beneath) and a meeting spot for parades. The current reconstruction is going to transform the place into a pedestrian area.
Located in the east of the city, République is largely a commercial area, mostly known as a transportation centre linking five metro lines as well as buses, taxis and several Vélib public bike stations. Development work planned for 2013 is going to transform the square into a pedestrian area. If everything remains on schedule, construction will continue through the spring of 2013.
The location of the Place corresponds to the bastion of the gate of the Temple in the wall of Charles V (raised between 1356 and 1383). The square, dating back to the Middle Ages, evolved to its current state in the late 19th century.
In the centre of the Place de la République there is a 10-metre-high, bronze statue of Marianne (female personification of the French republic), which is set on top of a monument dedicated to the formation of the newly-proclaimed Third Republic. This statue dates from 1883 and was made by Dalou.