The Hôtel de Ville (, ''

City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

'') is the

city hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

, France, standing on the

Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville – Esplanade de la Libération The public square in the 4th arrondissement of Paris that is now the Place de l' Hôtel de Ville (City Hall Plaza) was, before 1802, called the Place de Grève. The French word ''grève'' refers to a flat area covered with gravel or sand situated ...

in the 4th arrondissement. The south wing was originally constructed by

François I Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...

beginning in 1535 until 1551. The north wing was built by Henry IV and

Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crow ...

between 1605 and 1628. It was burned by the

Paris Commune The Paris Commune (french: Commune de Paris, ) was a revolutionary government that seized power in Paris, the capital of France, from 18 March to 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard had defende ...

, along with all the city archives that it contained, during the Commune's final days in May 1871. The outside was rebuilt following the original design, but larger, between 1874 and 1882, while the inside was considerably modified. It has been the headquarters of the municipality of Paris since 1357. It serves multiple functions, housing the

local government council Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States * Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administrat ...

, since 1977 the

Mayor of Paris The Mayor of Paris (french: Maire de Paris) is the chief executive of Paris, the capital and largest city in France. The officeholder is responsible for the administration and management of the city, submits proposals and recommendations to the ...

and her cabinet, and also serves as a venue for large receptions.

History

The original building

In July 1357, Étienne Marcel, provost of the merchants (i.e. mayor) of Paris, bought the so-called ''maison aux piliers'' ("House of Pillars") in the name of the municipality on the gently sloping shingle beach which served as a river port for unloading wheat and wood and later merged into a square, the Place de Grève ("Strand Square"), a place where Parisians often gathered, particularly for public executions. Ever since 1357, the City of Paris's administration has been located on the same location where the Hôtel de Ville stands today. Before 1357, the city administration was located in the so-called ''parloir aux bourgeois'' ("Parlour of Burgesses") near the Châtelet. In 1533, King

Francis I Francis I or Francis the First may refer to: * Francesco I Gonzaga (1366–1407) * Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450), reigned 1442–1450 * Francis I of France (1494–1547), King of France, reigned 1515–1547 * Francis I, Duke of Saxe-Lau ...

decided to endow the city with a city hall which would be worthy of Paris, then the largest city of Europe and

Christendom Christendom historically refers to the Christian states, Christian-majority countries and the countries in which Christianity dominates, prevails,SeMerriam-Webster.com : dictionary, "Christendom"/ref> or is culturally or historically intertwin ...

. He appointed two architects: Italian Dominique de Cortone, nicknamed Boccador because of his red beard, and Frenchman

Pierre Chambiges Pierre Chambiges, (died 19 June 1544), was a French master mason (''maître des œuvres de maçonnerie et pavement de la Ville de Paris'') and architect to François I of France and his son Henri II. As surveyor and architect, Chambiges was inv ...

. The House of Pillars was torn down and Boccador, steeped in the spirit of the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ide ...

, drew up the plans of a building which was at the same time tall, spacious, full of light and refined. Building work was not finished until 1628 during the reign of

. During the next two centuries, no changes were made to the edifice which was the stage for several famous events during the

French Revolution The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in November 1799. Many of its ideas are conside ...

. On 14 July 1789, the last provost of the merchants Jacques de Flesselles was murdered by an angry crowd. On 27 July 1794,

Maximilien Robespierre Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre (; 6 May 1758 – 28 July 1794) was a French lawyer and statesman who became one of the best-known, influential and controversial figures of the French Revolution. As a member of the Esta ...

attempted to commit suicide following a coup and was arrested along with his followers. In 1835, on the initiative of Rambuteau, '' préfet'' of the

Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/ Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributa ...

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (french: département, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. Ninety ...

, two wings were added to the main building and were linked to the facade by a gallery, to provide more space for the expanded city government. The architects were Étienne-Hippolyte Godde and

Jean-Baptiste Lesueur Jean-Baptiste Cicéron Lesueur (5 October 1794, Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines - 25 December 1883, Paris) was a French architect, best known for his work on the Paris City Hall (Hôtel de Ville). Biography In 1811, he entered the École des Be ...

The Paris Commune

During the Franco-Prussian War, the building played a key role in several political events. On 30 October 1870, revolutionaries broke into the building and captured some of the members of the

Government of National Defence The Government of National Defense (french: Gouvernement de la Défense nationale) was the first government of the Third Republic of France from 4 September 1870 to 13 February 1871 during the Franco-Prussian War. It was formed after the proclam ...

, while making repeated demands for the establishment of a communard government. The existing government escaped via a tunnel built in 1807, which still connects the Hôtel de Ville with a nearby barracks. On 23 January 1871, crowds gathered outside the building to protest against speculated surrender to the Prussians, and were dispersed by soldiers firing from the building, who inflicted several casualties. The Hôtel de Ville had been the headquarters of the

, and likewise, it was the headquarters of the

. When defeat became increasingly imminent and the French army approached the building, the Communards set fire to the Hôtel de Ville, along with other government buildings, destroying the building and almost all of the city archives. Hotel de Ville Paris Wikimedia Commons

Reconstruction

File:Paris-HotelDeVille-PontNotreDame.jpg, At turn of the century, rebuilt in the 1870s in its original French Renaissance style inspired by the

Châteaux of the Loire Valley The châteaux of the Loire Valley (french: châteaux de la Loire) are part of the architectural heritage of the historic towns of Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Montsoreau, Orléans, Saumur, and Tours along the river Loire in France. They illu ...

. File:La Science Jules Blanchard.jpg, ''Science'', by Jules Blanchard. File:Paris - Statue d'Etienne Marcel -226.jpg, Statue of Etienne Marcel, facing the Seine File:L'Art Laurent Marqueste.jpg, ''Art'', by Laurent Marqueste. File:Hôtel de Ville-Paris (yard).jpg, Courtyard with spiraled staircase. File:Henri-Charles Maniglier, L’Architecture. Signée et datée de 1882. Pierre, 2m 30. Paris, Hôtel-de-Ville de Paris, façade sud. Photo, Jamie Mulherron.jpg, Architecture by Henri-Charles Maniglier (south facade) Reconstruction of City Hall lasted from 1873 through 1892 (19 years) and was directed by architects Théodore Ballu and Édouard Deperthes, who had won the public competition for the building's reconstruction. Ballu also designed the Church of La Trinité in the 9th arrondissement and the belfry of the town hall of the 1st arrondissement, opposite the

Louvre The Louvre ( ), or the Louvre Museum ( ), is the world's most-visited museum, and an historic landmark in Paris, France. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the ''Mona Lisa'' and the '' Venus de Milo''. A central ...

's east facade. He also restored the Saint-Jacques Tower, a Gothic church tower in a square 150 metres to the west of the Hôtel de Ville. The architects rebuilt the interior of the Hôtel de Ville within the stone shell that had survived the fire. While the rebuilt Hôtel de Ville from the outside appeared to be a copy of the 16th-century French Renaissance building that stood before 1871, the new interior was based on an entirely new design, with ceremonial rooms lavishly decorated in the 1880s style. The central ceremonial doors under the clock are flanked by allegorical figures of ''Art'', by

Laurent Marqueste Laurent-Honoré Marqueste (Toulouse 12 June 1848 — Paris, 5 April 1920) was a French sculptor in the neo-Baroque Beaux-Arts tradition. He was a pupil of François Jouffroy and of Alexandre Falguière. Marqueste won the Prix de Rome in 1871. L ...

, and ''Science'', by

Jules Blanchard Jules Blanchard (25 May 1832 – 2 May 1916) was a French sculptor. Blanchard was born in Puiseaux. He was the son-in-law of sculptor Denis Foyatier. He was a student of François Jouffroy. Blanchard is perhaps best known for his renovation of ...

. Some 230 other sculptors were commissioned to produce 338 individual figures of famous Parisians on each facade, along with lions and other sculptural features. The sculptors included prominent academicians like

Ernest-Eugène Hiolle Ernest-Eugène Hiolle (5 May 1834 – 5 October 1886) was a French sculptor who specialized in classical and allegorical figures in plaster and bronze, as well as many contemporary portrait busts. Hiolle was born in Valenciennes, where he stu ...

and

Henri Chapu Henri-Michel-Antoine Chapu (29 September 1833 – 21 April 1891) was a French sculptor in a modified Neoclassical tradition who was known for his use of allegory in his work. Life and career Born in Le Mée-sur-Seine into modest circumstances, ...

, but easily the most famous was

Auguste Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...

. Rodin produced the figure of the 18th-century mathematician

Jean le Rond d'Alembert Jean-Baptiste le Rond d'Alembert (; ; 16 November 1717 – 29 October 1783) was a French mathematician, mechanician, physicist, philosopher, and music theorist. Until 1759 he was, together with Denis Diderot, a co-editor of the '' Encyclopéd ...

, finished in 1882. The statue on the garden wall on the south side is of Étienne Marcel, the most famous holder of the post of '' prévôt des marchands'' (provost of the merchants) which predated the office of mayor. Marcel was lynched in 1358 by an angry mob after trying to assert the city's powers too energetically. The decor featured murals by the leading painters of the day, including

Raphaël Collin Louis-Joseph-Raphaël Collin (17 June 1850 – 21 October 1916) was a French painter born and raised in Paris, where he became a prominent academic painter and a teacher. He is principally known for the links he created between French and Japa ...

Henri-Camille Danger Henri-Camille Danger (1857 – 1939) was a French artist known for history paintings, allegorical and mythological subjects, genre scenes, landscapes and designs for tapestries. Early life and education Henri-Camille was the son of Jules Félix ...

, Jean-Paul Laurens,

Puvis de Chavannes Pierre Puvis de Chavannes (14 December 1824 – 24 October 1898) was a French painter known for his mural painting, who came to be known as "the painter for France". He became the co-founder and president of the Société Nationale des Bea ...

Léon Bonnat Léon Joseph Florentin Bonnat (20 June 1833 – 8 September 1922) was a French painter, Grand Officer of the Légion d'honneur and professor at the Ecole des Beaux Arts. Early life Bonnat was born in Bayonne, but from 1846 to 1853 he lived in M ...

, Albert Besnard,

Henri Gervex Henri Gervex (Paris 10 December 1852 – 7 June 1929 Paris) was a French painter who studied painting under Alexandre Cabanel, Pierre-Nicolas Brisset, and Eugène Fromentin. Biography Early years He was the son of Joséphine Peltier and Félix ...

Aimé Morot Aimé Nicolas Morot (16 June 1850 – 12 August 1913) was a French painter and sculptor in the Academic Art style. Biography Aimé Nicolas Morot, son of François-Aimé Morot and Catherine-Elisabeth Mansuy, was born in Rue d'Amerval 4 in Nancy ...

or Alfred Roll. Most can still be seen as part of a guided tour of the building. The galerie des fetes of the Hotel de Ville of Paris for the visit of queen Victoria 23 august 1855.jpg, Max Berthelin, ''The salle des fêtes of the Hotel de Ville of Paris for the visit of queen Victoria on 23 August 1855''. La salle des fêtes de l'hôtel de ville de paris.jpg, Ceiling of the new salle des fêtes. Hôtel de Ville sculpture 7.jpg, Louis-Ernest Barrias, ''Hunting'' (1889), grande salle à manger. Triomphe de lart leon bonnat hotel de ville paris.jpg,

, ''Le Triomphe de l'Art'' (1894), salon des Arts. Albert Besnard Hôtel de Ville.jpg, Albert Besnard, ''La Vérité, entraînant les Sciences à sa suite'', c. 1890, salon des Sciences. Hôtel de Ville sculpture 6.jpg, Alexandre Falguière, ''Fishing'' (c. 1880), grande salle à manger. Henri Camille Danger - Esquisse pour le salon d'entrée Nord de l'Hôtel de Ville , L'Aurore boréale (plafond) - PPP4473 - Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris.jpg, Henri-Camille Danger, North entrance lounge: ''L'Aurore boréale'', 1892 (ceiling) Henri Camille Danger - Esquisse pour la salon d'entrée Nord de l'Hôtel de Ville de Paris , L'Ourse. La Nuit. Le Dragon - PPP4474 - Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris.jpg , Henri-Camille Danger, Sketch for the North entrance lounge. ''The night. The Dragon.''

Political venue

Since the

, the building has been the scene of a number of historical events, notably the proclamation of the

French Third Republic The French Third Republic (french: Troisième République, sometimes written as ) was the system of government adopted in France from 4 September 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed during the Franco-Prussian War, until 10 July 1940 ...

in 1870 and a speech by

Charles de Gaulle Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (; ; (commonly abbreviated as CDG) 22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French army officer and statesman who led Free France against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Governm ...

on 25 August 1944 during the

Liberation of Paris The liberation of Paris (french: Libération de Paris) was a military battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Ger ...

when he greeted a crowd from a front window. Paris-municipalidade

The previous mayor,

Bertrand Delanoë Bertrand Delanoë (; born 30 May 1950) is a French retired politician who served as Mayor of Paris from 2001 to 2014. A member of the Socialist Party (PS), he previously served in the National Assembly from 1981 to 1986 and Senate from 1995 unt ...

, a socialist and the city's first openly gay leader, was stabbed in the building in 2002 during the first all-night, citywide Sleepless Night (''Nuit Blanche''; literally, White Night) festival when the doors of the long-inaccessible building were thrown open to the public. But Delanoë recovered and has not lost his zeal for access, later converting the mayor's sumptuous private apartments into a ''crèche'' (day nursery) for the children of municipal workers.

Nearby places

The northern (left) side of the building is located on the

Rue de Rivoli Rue de Rivoli (; English: "Rivoli Street") is a street in central Paris, France. It is a commercial street whose shops include leading fashionable brands. It bears the name of Napoleon's early victory against the Austrian army, at the Battle of R ...

. The nearby

Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville The Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville or Le BHV Marais is a department store on rue de Rivoli in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, facing the Hôtel de Ville. It is part of the Groupe Galeries Lafayette and served by the Metro station '' Hôtel de Vi ...

(BHV) is a

department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic appe ...

named after the Hôtel de Ville. The closest church to the Hôtel de Ville is the

St-Gervais-et-St-Protais Church Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais () is a Roman Catholic parish church located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, on Place Saint-Gervais in the Marais district, east of City Hall (Hôtel de Ville). The current church was built between 1494 and 1657, ...

References

Bibliography

Books cited in the text

*} * * *

External links

Paris city hall website

Opening hours and temporary exhibitions information in English
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hotel de Ville, Paris Buildings and structures in Paris City and town halls in France Government of Paris Buildings and structures in the 4th arrondissement of Paris French Renaissance Revival architecture