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Hotel DE Ville
The Hôtel de Ville, Paris's city hall, is the center of political Paris. Like Paris, it has been through some turbulent times.
Design
In 1246 the first municipality was created when the Parisian trade guilds elected aldermen as representatives towards the King. There was no municipal building until 1357 when one of the aldermen, a water merchant, bought a house near the place de Grève.
The City Hall at around 1540.The two-storied building featured two towers and arcades. Known as the House of Pillars, it served as a meeting place for the aldermen.
The locatin of the Hotel de ville
The Hôtel de Ville is situated in the 4th arrondissement, near the Seine River. It is not far from the Centre Pompidou (north) and the Notre-Dame Cathedral (south) across the pont d'Arcole.