page_title: Plaza Francia (Caracas)
hierarchical_section_title: Plaza Francia (Caracas)
caption_attribution_description: Español: La Plaza Francia (conocida anteriormente como Plaza Altamira) es una plaza de la ciudad de Caracas, capital de Venezuela. Fue construida a principio de la década de 1940 e inaugurada el 11 de agosto de 1945 con el nombre de plaza Altamira. Posteriormente su nombre cambió a Plaza Francia luego de un convenio entre las ciudades de Caracas, y París para tener una plaza Francia en Caracas y una Plaza Venezuela en París. Fue diseñada por el urbanista Luis Roche, dentro del Proyecto de la urbanización Altamira, barrio acomodado del municipio Chacao del Estado Miranda. Destaca en la Plaza, el Obelisco de Altamira, símbolo del Municipio Chacao, el Espejo de Agua y una fuente que cae hacia el fondo de la Plaza que se ha convertido en un Pequeño Centro Comercial y la Principal Salida del Metro de Caracas en la Estación Altamira. Antes de 1940, la zona de Altamira era una hacienda agrícola llamada El Paraiso, de 110 hectáreas, con las grandes quebradas cristalinas Pajaritos, Quebrada Seca y Quintero o quebrada de Chacao, afluentes del río Guaire, que descendían de norte a sur desde la montaña que limita al norte la ciudad de Caracas llamada el Cerro el Ávila. La Plaza Altamira fue concebida como centro de atracción hacia esta nueva urbanización. Por tres de sus lados pasan grandes avenidas. Su obelisco fue en su momento la construcción más alta de la ciudad
context_page_description: Plaza Francia, also known as "Plaza Altamira", is a public space located in Altamira, east Caracas. It was built at the beginning of the 1940s and opened in August 11, 1945 with the original name of "Plaza Altamira". Is name was later changed due to an agreement between the cities of Caracas and Paris to have a Venezuela Square in Paris and a France Square in Caracas. This square was designed by town planner Luis Roche within the project of "Altamira neighborhood", a wealthy district of Chacao municipality in Miranda States.
  In France Square stands an obelisk — one of the landmarks of Caracas — the water mirror and a fountain that falls till the bottom of the square, which has turned into a small shopping center and the main entrance of Altamira subway station.
  In 2002 this square became the place where many people congregated in protest against the president at the time, Hugo Chávez, in a very big national strike known as the "Paro Petrolero".
context_section_description: Plaza Francia (France Square in Spanish), also known as "Plaza Altamira", is a public space located in Altamira, east Caracas. It was built at the beginning of the 1940s and opened in August 11, 1945 with the original name of "Plaza Altamira". Is name was later changed due to an agreement between the cities of Caracas and Paris to have a Venezuela Square in Paris and a France Square in Caracas. This square was designed by town planner Luis Roche within the project of "Altamira neighborhood", a wealthy district of Chacao municipality in Miranda States.
  In France Square stands an obelisk — one of the landmarks of Caracas — the water mirror and a fountain that falls till the bottom of the square, which has turned into a small shopping center and the main entrance of Altamira subway station.
  In 2002 this square became the place where many people congregated in protest against the president at the time, Hugo Chávez, in a very big national strike known as the "Paro Petrolero".
caption: France Square
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