Мэрия Парижа Paris City Hall

Rating 8110

This is one of the most beautiful buildings in the center of Paris, it is not surprising that it was chosen for the city hall. It is based on a medieval square, once called Greve Square, where public executions were carried out for centuries. Much to my surprise, many French people now do not know this name. In 1357, Etienne Marcel bought the “House of Pilasters, ” located in the heart of the famous square, where meetings subsequently took place. It was on the site of this house that the city hall was built in 1533. In the 19th century, it was burned by members of the Parisian commune. In 1892, the city hall was completely restored and opened to the public. The reconstructors did their best, making the building a real decoration of this square. On each facade there are statues of famous Frenchmen (artists, poets, writers), there are 108 of them in total, as well as 30 statues that are the embodiment of French cities.
All the statues are female, because the word "city" in French is feminine. The clock, located on the central tower, is surrounded by sculptures called the Seine, the Marne (Parisian rivers), Paris, and Education and Work. The ridge of the Boccador Pavilion is decorated with six bronze statues of military men from the 15th century. There are about 338 such sculptures. Near the southern facade there is a square in which a statue of Etienne Marcel is installed. Tourists can visit for free, but on certain days. If you are lucky enough to get here, you will certainly see the Chamber of Consuls, in which the fate of not only Paris, but the whole of France was decided many times, as well as a huge library, the mayor’s office and other halls decorated with sculptures and paintings.