In 1606, Prince Charles de Gonzague decided to build a town to match his ambition, appropriately named Charleville. The architect Clément Métezeau designed a chequered plan, with the Place Ducale in the centre. The architecture of the surrounding buildings is based on the number four: each pavilion has four arcades and four floors, each with four windows! The facades are of brick and limestone quarried in the Ardennes, while the roofs are of slate. The Place Ducale is the cousin of the Place Royale (now Place des Vosges) in Paris, designed by Clément’s older brother, Louis Métezeau.