Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) | Richelieu

The Bibliothèque nationale de France Richelieu site occupies a full city block that began its life in the seventeenth century as the opulent palace of Cardinal Mazarin. This powerful chief minister to the young King Louis XIV filled his home with extensive art collections and a massive private library. When the Royal Library required a new location in 1721 to accommodate its overflowing inventory, it moved into this very palace, eventually expanding to consume the entire block of buildings. Continue