Nearby before-and-after pictures
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Place de la Republique, then still called “Place du Quartier Neff,” between 1890 and 1900 and today. The district was built in the early/mid-19th century for the city's wealthy industrialists during the economic boom. The architecture of the buildings with their arcades is inspired by the Rue de Rivoli in Paris.
On the left is Café Moll, opened in 1827 by Henri Altenberger and taken over in 1863 by Lucien Moll, who gave the café its name.
In the old photo, the square appears to be a busy place, but today the heart of urban life has shifted to the old town. As a result, the square now seems to be more of a traffic hub than a social meeting place.