Hôtel des Tournelles

You are walking on the former site of the Hotel des Tournelles, a sprawling medieval palace that once defined this entire corner of Paris. Its name came from the dozens of small towers, or tournelles, that punctuated its skyline, giving it the appearance of a stone forest of spires and chimneys. At its height, the estate was massive enough to hold six thousand people and featured twenty chapels, a labyrinthine maze called the Dedalus, and sprawling gardens that stretched all the way to the city walls. Continue