A traditionally arbored spot of the city, it has seen heavy construction works for years to move the route of the aforementioned rondes, allowing the square to become a more pedestrian-friendly place while easing the heavy traffic that crosses it on a daily basis.
The square is named after Ferdinand de Lesseps, the developer of the Suez Canal. Earlier in his career, De Lesseps was the Frenchconsul in Barcelona. He is known in Barcelona for having intervened against the 1842 bombing of the city ordered by General Baldomero Espartero and Captain-General Juan Van Halen. Before 1895 the square had been known as Josepets, after the 1626 convent of Santa Maria de Gràcia, also known as Els Josepets", which remained a popular name for the square, although now outdated.[1]
