Arrondissement 1
Fontaine des Innocents
The Square covers part of the site of the major cemetery within the Paris walls from the Middle Ages to the end of the 18th century. In 1786 the bones from the Innocents Cemetery were transferred to the Paris catacombs, the Church of the Innocents was demolished, and the site became the Market of the Innocents.
During the 1830 Glorious Revolution it witnessed violent clashes between the insurgents and the army.
In 1985 the remaining half of the area that had not been bought and built on in 1860 was named after the 19th century poet, Joachim du Bellay (1522-1560) – a contemporary of its 16th century Fountain.