The name place du Trocadero was given in 1877 to a square formerly known as the place du Roi de Rome. Today this square is simply called the place du Trocadero. In 1937 for the Exposition Internationale the Palais de Chaillot was built on top of the hill. It was designed by the architects Louis-Hippolyte Boileau, Jacques Carlu and Leon Azema. The palais de Chaillot features two wings shaped to form a wide arc. The wings are independent buildings and there is no central element to connect them but a wide esplanade leaves an open view from the place du Trocadero to the Eiffel Tower and beyond. The buildings are decorated with quotations by Paul Valery.

Today in palais de Chaillot you can visit the "Musee national de la Marine", the "Musee de l'Homme" and the "Musee national des Monuments francais". Below the esplanade there is the "Theatre national de Chaillot". Because in 1948 United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the esplanade is known as the "esplanade des droits de l'homme" (esplanade of human rights) and you can find a stone memorizing his event.