Hôtel du Dauphin

The Hôtel du Dauphin was built between 1754 and 1756 by the Parisian architect Montalay, on the site of the former Hôtel du Dauphin. Around 1757 or 1759, the City of Paris housed the Gouvernance (court of first instance) on the first floor. From 1790 to 1791, the District Court replaced the Gouvernance. In 1794, the Hôtel du Dauphin was temporarily renamed the Pavillon de l'Egalité. Despite the Dauphin?s military and judicial functions, the city managed to place the fire pump depot, the guillotine trestles, the people?s library, the music conservatory, the drawing school? in the building Today, it's the only 18th-century vestige of the Place d'Armes. The Hôtel du Dauphin is built of sandstone and brick, with a white stone facade. The first floor, made of sandstone from Gouy-en-Artois, is treated as a base and decorated with an embossed refinement. The five bays on the second floor feature semi-circular bays framed by Ionic pilasters. The French window in the central bay is set in a highly-decorated rectangular embrasure. Remarkable "rocaille" facade: play of scrolls in the bas-reliefs, dominated by curves and counter-curves. Impression of light lace. The sculpted decor harmoniously blends two major themes: _ In the spandrels of the side windows, classical themes of ornamentation, reserved for aristocratic civil mansions: garlands, Ionic and Corinthian capitals, heads of smiling figures, putti, shells, foliage, ribbons, medals? in the central panels and upper sculptures, military themes reserved for military and royal buildings: trophies, armor, helmets, flags, rifles, pistols, swords, trumpets, bows and arrows, spears? On the second floor, a large curved balcony with wrought-iron railings, once adorned with gilding, delivered on May 1, 1757 by Mariette, master ironmonger in Cambrai. Restoration of the Hôtel du Dauphin from January 2015 to April 2006, by SCP Perrissin & Sailly, Architectes.