Place Masséna is Nice's central square and its main stage for celebrations, markets, and public life. Flanked by handsome red ochre buildings in Genoese style, the square was laid out in the 1840s and connects the old town to the modern city. The Fontaine du Soleil, a central fountain topped with Apollo surrounded by the planets, dominates the space; in the evening the seven resin statues by Jaume Plensa — white human figures balanced on high poles — are illuminated in changing colours.
The square is pedestrianised and connects naturally to the Promenade du Paillon, a long linear park that runs inland from here, and to the shopping streets of Rue Masséna. During festivals — Nice Carnival in February, Bastille Day in July — the square fills completely. The tramway passes through, making it the easiest transit hub in the city.