Paris City Hall (Hôtel de Ville)

Updated on October 7, 2026

The Hôtel de Ville houses Paris's city administration on place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, in the 4th arrondissement. The Renaissance-style building was rebuilt between 1873 and 1892, after the fire of 1871 during the Commune. Most visitors admire it from outside, and go in for the free exhibitions or, by registration, a guided tour.

Highlights

The façade and the square

The Renaissance façade is decorated with many statues. The pedestrian square gives the best distance for photographs, especially in the evening when the building is lit.

The reception rooms

The Arcades, Jean-Paul Laurens and Bertrand salons, the Festival Hall, the grand staircase and the Paris Council chamber are shown on free guided tours. The photograph shows the building illuminated during Nuit Blanche 2010.

Practical info

Tips

The City's exhibitions, in the Saint-Jean room and at Paris Rendez-vous (29 rue de Rivoli), are free, sometimes with online registration on the City of Paris website. Free guided tours last about an hour, in French, English or German; they are mainly for groups, on request by email about two months ahead (information checked in October 2026).