Place du Théâtre, Dijon

Square in Dijon

Place Théâtre - Dijon — CC BY-SA 4.0 / Chabe01

Place du Théâtre is a bustling tourist spot in Dijon, known for its central location near the city’s Museum of Fine Arts. The square features a large Italian theater in the Neoclassical style, a municipal library housed in the former Saint-Étienne church, and the Saint-Michel church. Additionally, it is home to several breweries, hotels, banks, and an old bookstore, all set against a backdrop of bourgeois architecture that ranges from Neoclassical to Haussmannian styles.

Up until 2013, before the pedestrianization of Rue de la Liberté, the square was a hub for various modes of transport including buses, taxis, bicycles, Diviacity, and pedestrians. Currently, road work is underway to transform most of the square into a pedestrian area to reduce traffic.

Originally known as Place Saint-Étienne, the square was renamed Place du Théâtre in 1904. This change was part of a broader effort to secularize the names of streets and squares, initiated by the newly elected socialist and anticlerical majority of the Municipal Council. The name reflects the presence of the Italian theater, a notable Neoclassical structure in Dijon.

The square’s name is derived from the grand theatre, designed by Jacques Cellerier and Simon Vallot and constructed between 1810 and 1828 on the site of the former Sainte-Chapelle. Additionally, the Savings Bank building on Place du Théâtre, built between 1889 and 1890, was designed by architect Arthur Chaudouet.

The Place du Théâtre, Dijon appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Dijon!

This website uses affiliate links which may earn a commission at no additional cost to you!