Place René Cassin

The Place René Cassin lies in Paris's 1st arrondissement and has a long history stretching back to medieval times, when the spot was known as a crossroads in front of the Church of Saint-Eustache. The square was named in 1985 after René Cassin, the French jurist and diplomat who co-authored the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and won the Nobel Peace Prize. It sits above the Forum des Halles and is flanked by the Nelson Mandela Garden, which opened in 1988 and was later extensively renovated. Here you can admire the historic Church of Saint-Eustache, built in the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as the Medici Column, which once served as an astronomical observatory. Nearby stands the former grain exchange, now home to the Commerce Exchange, which is currently being restored for the Pinault Collection. Underground, the Place René Cassin connects to the Forum des Halles via the Porte du Jour and the Allée Baltard; the forum's shopping center is covered by a striking glass-roof structure known as the Canopée.