Place Vendôme was built on the orders of Louis XIV as a stately setting that embodies the sheer power of the heart of Paris. Napoleon replaced the statue of the king, which was dismantled in 1792, with a bronze column made of 1,200 enemy cannons; During the Second Empire, the octagonal square - a marvel of classic urban design - gradually became a showcase of luxury rather than political power, as major jewelry brands transformed this square and adjacent La Baie Street into windows filled with sparkling diamonds, rubies and emeralds.