Place de Martrois (Monument to Joan of Arc)

Martrois Square is one of the most beautiful places in Orleans. For many years it was the center of the socio-economic life of the city. During the Renaissance, this place was a bread market, and after 1816, the square began to hold meetings of citizens and executed convicts. Even now, from the end of November to the end of December, a noisy bazaar is arranged on the square, dedicated to the Christmas holiday.

In the center of the square stands a beautiful equestrian statue of Joan of Arc, created by the hands of the sculptor Denis Foitier. The monument we see today was erected in 1855 and replaced a sculpture destroyed during the revolution. The statue of the famous Orléans Maiden was cast from melted old English cannons. The pedestal of the monument is decorated with bas-reliefs by Dubret, which tell about the life path and deeds of both Jeanne herself and her faithful associates.

On the south side of the square are several monuments of the history of Orleans: the buildings of the former office of Duke Philippe of Orleans and the former Commodity Exchange in the style of classicism.