Bibliothèque historique de la Ville de Paris, Municipal library in Marais district, Paris, France
The Bibliothèque historique de la Ville de Paris occupies the Hôtel de Lamoignon, a Renaissance mansion on Rue Pavée in the 4th arrondissement, and holds over one million books along with thousands of manuscripts, maps, and photographs. The entire collection focuses on the history of Paris and the Île-de-France region.
After the destruction of the city's library during the Paris fire of 1871, this institution was founded in 1872 to preserve the history of the city. The collection started with a donation and grew to become one of the most important sources for understanding Paris history.
The library holds materials showing how Parisians lived across different periods, from maps of old neighborhoods to photographs of streets that no longer exist. Visitors can trace how the city changed through these collections and discover places that have disappeared.
The library is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM for visitors and researchers, and you may need to register to access special collections. Plan to spend adequate time exploring the holdings, as the collections are extensive.
The building features Corinthian pilasters and dormers from the 16th century that represent rare early examples of refined architectural details in Paris. These elements make the Hôtel de Lamoignon itself a valuable historical record from the Renaissance period.
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