Temple de Diane Arch of Campanus Maurice-Mollard Plaza, named after a former mayor of the town, is a public square in the historical center of Aix-les-Bains, in western Savoy.
It is home to a number of architectural monuments, some of which are listed as historical monuments: the Arch of Campanus and the Temple of Diana date back to Roman times; the 18th-century National Thermal Baths were partially built on the foundations of former Roman thermal baths; and the Town Hall which was originally a feudal castle.
Numerous events are organized in the square, such as the "corrida des lumières" (light bullfight), and the departure point of the town's tourist train circuit.
[3] It is about 450 m (1,480 ft) east of the Aix-les-Bains-Le Revard train station, and a few steps from the convention center, Notre-Dame church, and a public park.
The connexion between Rue Davat (to the north) and Lord Revelstoke Avenue (to the south) forms the main road leading to the square.
[1] On March 20, 1950, the municipal council decided to name the square in memory of Maurice Mollard, mayor of Aix-les-Bains from 1932 to 1937,[8] and later a town councillor, who passed away in 1947.
Maurice Mollard, engineer, was responsible for two major infrastructures in the Aix-les-Bains region, the Chat tunnel and the Mont Revard road.
[10] The town's square is also home to the Arch of Campanus, probably built in the 1st century, but long integrated into a modest agricultural building.
[1][7] Rules were then laid down for the competition: sites were to be set aside for a monumental fountain and a statue of the poet Alphonse de Lamartine.
[1] Eight projects were selected by the town council, but in the end, it turned out to be an unplanned, unorganized development that gradually took shape, accompanied by various demolitions and modifications to the square.
To cater to the large influx of tourists and spa-goers, the town also expanded its accommodation capacity by creating a number of luxury hotels, including a palace called Astoria, on the edge of the square in 1904.
Francis Crochon, the town's architect, decided to revisit the previous work by completely redesigning the monument and road infrastructures.
[20] The tourist office, which has been awarded the Qualité Tourisme label, is located at the entrance to the Aix-les-Bains national thermal baths.
A grassy area planted with trees and flowers occupies the southern part of the square, in the middle of which stands a staircase giving access to Lord-Revelstoke Avenue (D913).