Hôtel des Monnaies, Paris

You are approaching the Hôtel des Monnaies, a sprawling neoclassical palace that occupies a prime stretch along the Seine. While it appears to be a royal residence, this building was conceived as a high-tech industrial facility for the production of currency. Completed in 1775, it stands as the oldest continuously operating institution in France, with its origins tracing all the way back to the year 864. Even today, it remains the only active factory located within the city limits of Paris.