Just a few meters from the Centre Pompidou, from the Rue Rivoli and the Seine, stands the City Hall of Paris, opposite the Place de l’Hotel de Ville.

The square and City Hall are closely linked to the history of Paris since medieval times. The square was just a rocky area until in 1141 merchants carrying goods through the port Sena settled there, in order to relieve the de la Cité. Thus, in the port of Greve anchored boats with supplies of wheat, wood, coal, wine …

In 1170 the king had given these “merchants of water” monopoly on the supply, which gave them some power and that all goods came mainly by ship.In 1246, Louis IX created the first municipality, traders chose those who represent the king. Their leader was called “Prevot des Marchands” something like “in charge of trade.” For a century the meetings were held on the Left Bank in the vicinity of the Abbey of Saint Genevieve. Then, in 1357, the Prevot des Marchands Etienne Marcel, using the power bestowed by the commercial monopoly of their constituents, acquired for the seat of municipal authorities, a Gothic building called the “house pillars” – against the Plaza de Greve, symbolizing thereby acquired the municipal liberties against the power of the king, then Carlos V.

The small square of Greve was the scene of celebration, of riots and executions and torture that included beatings,, dismemberment, death by fire, among others from the Middle Ages. As far back as the Revolution was in the Place de Greve where the guillotine was used for the first time, show a little disappointing for the Parisians, used to slow and painful executions …
[City of Paris - the Seine facade]

In the sixteenth century under the rule of Francis I, the “house pillars” was replaced by a true Renaissance palace. Depending on the design of Italian architect Boccadoro, construction took place between 1533 and 1628. In 1836 and 1850 under the government of Louis Philippe, the palace was extensively refurbished, enlarged and decorated, always maintaining the Renaissance facade.

In 1848 and 1870 served as a refuge for the Republicans proclaimed the Second and Third Republic after the fall of Louis Philippe and Napoleon III, respectively. But the fall of Napoleon was a dramatic event, a revolt by a group of Parisians invaded the Hotel de Ville on March 28, 1871 ended with the burning of the Hotel, which was reduced to ashes, like all the municipal archives.
The building could be rebuilt as it was years later, between 1873 and 1882. In facades, many host niches and pillars 108 celebrities in the history of Paris and 30 statues representing French cities. The interior richly decorated with paintings, gold accents, marble and fine woods testifies to the magnificence of the Third Republic.
Since 1977, directs the Mayor of Paris at the Hotel de Ville City Council meetings are open to the public on Monday.