Petite Mairie, Town hall in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, France
The Petite Mairie is the town hall of the 12th arrondissement of Paris, a Neo-Renaissance building located at the corner of Rue de Charenton and Avenue Daumesnil. Its facade features decorative columns, mullioned windows, and sculpted figures representing the city of Paris alongside references to woodworking and wine growing.
The building was constructed between 1874 and 1877 after the original town hall burned down at the end of the Paris Commune in 1871. Architect Antoine-Julien Hénard designed the new structure, which was expanded in 1893 to include a reception hall.
The Petite Mairie served as the place where residents of the 12th arrondissement came for everyday administrative needs, from paperwork to civil weddings. After the 2025 fire, civil wedding ceremonies were temporarily moved to the Chai de Bercy, a former wine warehouse nearby.
A small square in front of the building offers a good view of the facade. Following the fire of January 2025, the town hall is currently closed to visitors and its services have been temporarily relocated to the former Reuilly station nearby.
The town hall was built using pink granite, a material that gives the building a warm tone rarely seen in Parisian administrative buildings. The stairwell ceiling features paintings depicting scenes from the industrial and everyday life of the neighborhood, including references to the wine trade that once defined the area.
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