Once an open space for drilling soldiers, the Esplanade was planted with palm and eucalyptus trees during the Napoleonic occupation. Dotted with commemorative monuments and statues, it also has a cricket pitch. The west side is bordered by the "Liston", an arcaded terrace with restaurants, bookshops, etc. The building, designed by Mathieu de Lesseps, father of the builder of the Suez Canal, dates from the French Empire Period and was inspired by the Rue de Rivoli in Paris.