Hôtel de Nevers, Private mansion in 2nd arrondissement, France.
The Hôtel de Nevers is a private mansion on rue de Richelieu in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, of which only three sections of the original facade remain today. These surviving portions are now part of the National Library complex and show classical French architectural details from the 17th century.
The mansion was built in 1646 by architect Pierre Le Muet and was initially part of Cardinal Mazarin's palace, becoming an independent residence after his death in 1661. A large demolition carried out in the 19th century destroyed most of the structure, leaving only a few fragments standing.
The Marquise de Lambert held a literary salon here in the early 18th century, drawing writers and thinkers who met regularly to exchange ideas. Her gatherings were among the most talked-about in Paris at the time.
The surviving facade sections can be seen from rue Colbert without entering the site. The interior is not open to the public, as the building is part of the National Library.
The surviving corner section is the only remnant of a 144-metre wing that Pierre Le Muet built along rue de Richelieu from 1646, finished in 1648. Its ground floor held Mazarin's stables, with his library above. The rest of that wing disappeared when the site was rebuilt for the Bibliothèque nationale.
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