Paris, France (Hotel de Ville) - City and Town Halls on Waymarking.com

Since Antiquity, the shores of the Seine were very swampy at this spot and soon the Parisians created a small harbour. It grew bigger and was known as the “Port de la Greve” in the 12th and 13th century. The adjacent square was called the place de Greve, now place de l’hotel de ville. The place de Greve was the meeting place of unemployed workers (origin of the expression: faire la greve: to strike). It was also a place for celebrations and executions. In 1357, the “prefet” Etienne Marcel built the first town hall of Paris on this square. He chose a house, enhanced with columns, and gave it a Renaissance style. Between 1310 and 1830, all outcasts, pariahs, thieves and bandits were pilloried, severely beaten and tortured. Reread "Notre Dame de Paris" by Victor Hugo: "The place de Greve was a horrible dark place, and so was the sinister town hall. Death was always present here by the presence of the gallows in the middle of the square, a pillory, chains and scaffold. This square of Death had always a morbid attraction on people"

During the French revolution it was one of the most important political centres. After the taking of the Bastille the mob stormed the building and murdered the prefect Flesselles.

This place was used for executions a long time before the guillotine was even invented. It’s here that Marat, Robespierre and Danton held their famous speeches. And the marquis de la Fayette, well known by the American revolutionaries, added the royal white to the blue and red colours, which created the French flag. The hotel de ville, set on fire in 1871 by the "Commune de Paris" revolutionaries, was completely destroyed and a new one was rebuilt in the same style (Neo-Renaissance) only bigger. Renovated and cleaned thoroughly in 1982 it is shining again as in times long gone by. It is now the centre of cultural or sport manifestations like the giant nativity scene, the winter ice-skating rink or the giant TV screen that was set up for the world soccer games in 1998.

Name: Hotel de Ville de Paris Address: 29, rue de Rivoli Paris, France 75004 Date of Construction: 1874–1882 Architect: Théodore Ballu & Pierre Deperthes Memorials/Commemorations/Dedications: Web Site for City/Town/Municipality: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/22/2023 LaTourSombre visited it 02/27/2023 Michaelfiles visited it 01/04/2023 3vero3 visited it 11/22/2021 lynx36 visited it 07/03/2021 Nathalain visited it 06/11/2021 sara et gege visited it 11/11/2019 Outspoken1 visited it 02/27/2019 pmaupin visited it 05/09/2018 Sawen44 visited it 03/29/2018 keillec visited it 11/13/2017 LeBourguignon visited it 06/08/2017 CADS11 visited it 06/08/2017 CADS11 visited it 02/23/2017 junkys visited it 09/12/2016 The Burrow visited it 04/24/2016 Marvince visited it 10/28/2015 pestinette visited it 06/07/2015 dschinny visited it 02/13/2015 Tumbrel visited it 02/08/2015 MiroslavRouta visited it 02/03/2015 Max93600 visited it 12/22/2014 celene37 visited it 10/03/2014 fischalbert visited it 07/15/2014 Trail Blaisers visited it 07/07/2014 Go Boilers! visited it

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