Palais Bourbon, Parliament building in 7th arrondissement, France.
Palais Bourbon is a parliament building in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, standing on the left bank of the Seine and displaying a grand neoclassical colonnade with twelve columns along its northern facade. Inside, conference rooms, administrative offices and the central assembly chamber spread across the complex, while several interior courtyards bring natural light into the corridors.
Built from 1722 to 1728 for Louise-Françoise de Bourbon, legitimised daughter of Louis XIV, the palace passed through four architects: Lorenzo Giardini and Pierre Cailleteau died early, Jean Aubert took over, and Ange-Jacques Gabriel completed it. Confiscated in 1791, it housed the Council of Five Hundred from 1795, then every lower chamber. Bernard Poyet added the Seine-side colonnade from 1806, echoing the Madeleine opposite.
The name recalls the noble Bourbon family whose member commissioned the building, though today the assembly chamber serves as the center of French democracy. Representatives sit in semicircular rows that encourage dialogue across political groups, and visitors watching from the gallery can see how the seating arrangement shapes debate.
Guided tours through the building are available on days when no sessions take place, and advance booking through the National Assembly website is recommended. Visitors should bring valid identification and allow time for security checks at the entrance before entering the public areas.
The library holds volumes and manuscripts seized from aristocratic collections during the French Revolution. Some of the original interior decoration dates from the 18th century and displays paintings showing mythological and allegorical scenes.
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