John XXIII Square

John XXIII Square is located at the back of the Notre Dame Cathedral. It is a tree-shaded square with benches and flower beds. In its central part stands the neo-Gothic Virgin Fountain reminiscent of the top of the church tower.

The square was named for part of Pope John XXIII. It is an oasis of peace in the most touristic corner of Paris. It offers a magnificent view of the cathedral's presbytery and its soaring buttresses. The square is planted with elm trees and Japanese cherries cut into domes. There are benches in their shadow. In the center of the lawn there is a stone Fountain of the Virgin with a statue of the Virgin Mary. There is also a bust of Goldini, a Venetian playwright who died in Paris in 1793.