Place aux Oignons (Onions Square), Lille

Looking for onions? You won't necessarily find a sack of onions in Onions Square. The site of the square once held the fortress of the counts of Flanders. In the fortress was a keep, a strong place, called dominium. That is all gone now, but the locals corrupted the word, dominium, into "Ognions."

The square is lined with houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. The houses on the square originally were homes for artisan weavers. The weavers used the attics and cellars as workshops if conditions of humidity were acceptable. In the eighteenth century the houses became living quarters for factory workers and their families.

The neighborhood was not known for its sanitation or habitability. In 1945, George d'Orgeville, a novelist, described the square as a "district of misfortune...lined with hovels which are falling apart..." Living conditions were deplorable by today's standards. Six or seven families were often sharing one water tap and a toilet.

Buildings were dilapidated. In 1976 reinforcing work was begun prior to restoration. Between 1985 and 1990 all buildings on the square were partially or completely rebuilt. Since the year 2000, the square has become a draw for tourists. The square is now a pedestrian area surrounded by restaurants and cafes.