Imprimerie nationale, State printing facility in 15th arrondissement, France
The Imprimerie nationale is a printing building in the 15th arrondissement of Paris with eclectic architecture marked by large windows, symmetrical facades, and industrial elements. The building was designed by Alphonse Didelot and operates today as a state production facility for secure documents like passports and identity cards.
The building was founded in 1640 under Louis XIII with support from Cardinal Richelieu and began as the Royal Printing House before becoming the National Printing Office. Over the centuries, it developed into a central place for preserving and passing on printing technologies in France.
The printing house maintains collections of historical punches and continues traditional typographic methods that developed over centuries in French printing craft. Visitors can observe how these manual skills remain active in the daily work today.
The facility focuses on producing secure documents and employs a large workforce working on different tasks across various areas. Visitors should expect that certain areas will not be accessible since daily operations require security measures and restrictions.
The institution retains exclusive rights to certain typefaces including Garamond and Romain du Roi fonts, representing French typographic heritage. These rare typefaces are carefully documented and kept in special collections that offer insight into centuries of printing development.
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