guanche
much larger than the Grand Place
The Republic Square is a bit off the beaten track from the ancient heart of Lille. It is much larger than the Grand Place, whose name means the big square, but it was built later. It is a square with strange decor, the garden which you can find in the center is underground, and cannot be seen at first glance, it actually looks more like a bunker than a garden. The points of interest to be seen nearby are the "préfecture" which is where the department has given the Nord Pas de Calais (number 59), is a beautiful building that was built during the glorious time after Napoleon's reorganization of the French regions and nothing was too luxurious for accommodating the officials.
On the other hand, opposite the prefecture you can find the beautiful Museum of Fine Arts, which was built during the late nineteenth century. It´s one of the largest in the country after the Louvre museum. Between the two, you can walk between the fountains, vegetation and benches, but it´s not the same as walking around the rest of the Old Lille.
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