Hôtel d'Asfeldt, Private mansion in the Marais, Paris, France

The Hôtel d'Asfeldt is a 17th-century private mansion at 16 place des Vosges, on the east side of the square between the Hôtel de Ribault and the Hôtel de Clermont-Tonnerre. Its red brick facade is banded with pale stone quoins around the windows and corners, rising from a stone ground level with three recessed glazed arches to a steep slate roof with dormers and a small central turret topped by a weather vane.

The Hôtel d'Asfeldt was built between 1605 and 1612 on the east side of Place des Vosges, between the Hôtel de Ribault at No. 14 and the Hôtel de Clermont-Tonnerre at No. 18. In 1953 its courtyard door, mascarons and staircase were inscribed as monuments historiques; in 1955 the facade, vaulted gallery and roofs were classified.

The mansion's name recalls the Asfeldt family, and its courtyard door and carved mascarons are protected as monuments historiques, listed in 1953 along with the staircase. Visitors can spot these masks above the courtyard entrance, a carved detail from the early 17th century.

The building is private and viewable from outside at Place des Vosges without interior access for visitors. You can appreciate the facade and exterior design from the public arcaded galleries.

The courtyard door and its carved masks, together with the staircase, were inscribed as monuments historiques in 1953; the facade, vaulted gallery and roofs were classified in 1955. The masks sit above the door on the courtyard side, not on the Place des Vosges front.