Bibliothèque historique de la ville de Paris

The Hotel de Lamoignon holds the library in a seventeenth century mansion defined by its tall, fluted Corinthian pilasters rising between the windows. Originally built for a daughter of the French king, the mansion eventually became the home of Guillaume de Lamoignon, a powerful magistrate who turned it into a famous literary salon. Moliere and Racine spent their afternoons debating here. Today, the building serves the city by holding the vast collection of historical records, maps, and photographs documenting the life of Paris.