Galerie Vivienne, Neoclassical covered passage in 2nd arrondissement, France.
The Galerie Vivienne extends 176 meters in length and features a glass-roofed corridor adorned with detailed mosaic flooring and decorative sculptures throughout its length.
Built in 1823 by Louis-Auguste Marchoux and designed by François-Jacques Delannoy, this passage opened to the public in 1826 and gained historical monument status in 1974.
The Académie des beaux-arts received ownership of part of the gallery through a bequest from the Comtesse de Caen in 1870, cementing its ties to French arts.
Multiple entrances along Rue des Petits-Champs, Rue de la Banque, and Rue Vivienne provide access to various shops, boutiques, and dining establishments within the passage.
The gallery incorporates a rotunda topped with a hemispherical glass dome, allowing natural light to illuminate the three-meter-wide corridor throughout the day.
Location: 2nd arrondissement of Paris
Location: Quartier Vivienne
Inception: 1823
Official opening: 1826
Architectural style: Neoclassical architecture
Floors above the ground: 1
Length: 176 m
Width: 3 m
Part of: road network of Paris
Shares border with: passage des Petits-Pères, rue de la Banque, rue des Petits-Champs, rue Vivienne
GPS coordinates: 48.86667,2.33972
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:39
The covered passages of Paris are major commercial inventions from the early 19th century. Built between 1798 and 1850, these galleries shield pedestrians from weather and street mud with glass and wrought iron roofs. Passages like the Passage des Panoramas, opened in 1799, were pioneers with gas lighting, while Galerie Vivienne (1823) features mosaic floors and neoclassical decorations. The Passage du Grand-Cerf stands out with a height of 12 meters under its glass roof. Today, around thirty passages remain in the 2nd, 9th, and 10th arrondissements. They host various shops: antique bookstores and fashion boutiques at Passage Choiseul, Indian restaurants and spice shops at Passage Brady, fabric vendors at Passage du Caire with Egyptian motifs. Galerie Colbert now houses two art research institutes. These galleries offer insights into a lesser-known part of 19th-century Paris commerce, preserving wooden facades, wrought iron railings, and period signage.
This route covers two millennia of Parisian construction history, showing the architectural layers of the city. It includes Roman remains such as the first-century Lutetia arenas, medieval structures, classical palaces, and modern constructions from the 19th and 20th centuries. Each location documents specific building phases and technical developments in the French capital. The selection ranges from well-known landmarks to less visited historical sites. The 1889 Eiffel Tower stands alongside Roman thermal bath fragments and medieval churches. This collection allows visitors to trace urban development from the ancient settlement of Lutetia to the modern metropolis and compare different architectural styles.
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Superb covered gallery where it is pleasant to stroll from shop to shop before stopping for tea time. Nearby, feel free to walk to the gardens of the Palais Royal.
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