Imagine yourself transported back to the 13th century. You are standing where the Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville now lies.
This historic street whispers tales of masons and revolutions. Let’s explore the Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville together.
The Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville, in the 4th arrondissement, stretches 446 meters. It runs east to west. The street starts near the Hôtel de Sens. It ends at 2 Rue de Brosse.
Originally, the Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville was named Rue de la Foulerie. This name came from the many fullers who worked there. Later, it became Rue de la Mortellerie.
By 1835, the street got its current name. It was named Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville because it faced the Hôtel de Ville.
Back in 1212, this street was a key part of a fishing village. It was the closest road to the Seine. Religious processions used it to travel from Notre-Dame to Saint-Paul-des-Champs.
In the 13th century, masons moved to this area. They were called morteliers. These workers made stone troughs. They also crushed stone into cement. The Seine was a practical water source for them. Hence, the street was named Rue de la Mortellerie.
Some say the name came from murders that happened at night. Others believe it honored Richard le Morlelier, who lived there in 1348.
The Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville has faced challenges. In 1832, cholera struck. The Rue de la Mortellerie lost 304 residents out of 4,688. That was 64 per 1,000 people.
The street was nearly lost forever. To expand the Hôtel de Ville, some buildings were demolished in 1837.
In June 1848, the street saw a bloody battle. Ernest Meissonier captured it in his painting, “The Barricade, rue de la Mortellerie.”
Parts of the street disappeared to make way for the Lobau barracks and Rue Lobau.
During World War I, a bomb hit 20 Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville in 1918. After the war, the south side was redeveloped.
Today, the Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville retains its charm.
At number 56, a house features a historic cellar. At number 58, the bookstore Le Piéton de Paris specializes in books about Paris.
Chez Julien at number 62 occupies an old building. It has preserved its 1820s iron gate. The interior features panels under glass created around 1900. These show a mill and wheat sheaves. The painted ceiling depicts birds in the sky.
At number 80, an 18th-century building has a sundial. This sundial came from 4 Rue du Marché-des-Blancs-Manteaux.
Number 103 leads to a narrow passage toward the Quai de l’Hôtel-de-Ville.
The Rue de l’Hôtel de Ville is more than just a street. It is a living testament to Paris’s rich past. As you walk, remember the masons, villagers, and revolutionaries who shaped this iconic location.