Hôtel de Mayenne, Private mansion in Arsenal Quarter, Paris, France
The Hôtel de Mayenne is a private mansion in the Arsenal Quarter with a grand facade of stone and brick, featuring two side pavilions joined by a monumental street gateway. The building now serves as a school, housing primary through high school students.
The mansion was built between 1613 and 1617 when architect Jean Androuet du Cerceau transformed an earlier residence for Charles de Lorraine. Iron railings bearing Lorraine crosses were added later between 1645 and 1650, marking the building's ties to the House of Lorraine.
The grand staircase displays a carved stone tympanum showing Pallas surrounded by trophies, reflecting the owner's intellectual aspirations. This sculpture reveals what an educated aristocrat valued in the early 1600s.
The mansion sits on Rue Saint-Antoine in Paris and functions as a school campus with limited public access inside. The best way to view it is from the street, where the exterior facade and decorative details can be appreciated.
The iron railings feature Lorraine crosses, a symbol that preserved the family's identity across centuries. This detail is easy to overlook, yet it speaks volumes about the original owner's status and heritage.
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