The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-06-17
THE HOTEL DE WILLIE.
It's EventflI History.

The cable dispatches of the Gath announce the
destruction of the Hotel de Vile, in Paris. The
following sketch of the building Is of interest:
According to the dispatches the Versalists are
now in possession of the Hotel de Vile, in Paris.
As great deal has been said relative to military
operations centering there, a description may
not be uninteresting.
In 1857 the municipality Of Paris purchased
for 1850 livres the Mdson de Ia Grece or MaiSo,a
au1 PLIERS, which had been the property of
Philip Augustus and the abode of royalty. On
the site OF this structure and several others i'm.
medately adjoining, the present Hotel de Vile
was begun-the first stone being laid July 10,
1888. The work was soon suspended, and not
resumed until 1549, when an Italian architect,
Boccadoro di Cordona, presented satisfactory
plans to Henry H., who ordered him to carry
them into effect. During the wars of the Fronde,
and particularly in the revolution OF 1889, the
building suffered serious damage, but being coz.
vsrted into the seat of the prefecture in 1901 it
was thoroughly restored In 1887. two churches
and hospital were pulled down and incorporated
in it, making the entire structure four times
larger than it was before; and the whole was
finally finished in 1S41.
In 1928, the Hotel de Vile consisted of & large
building in the style of the Renaissance, two
stories high, inclosing single court, and having
western front toward the Place dc Greve, with
two elevated pavilions ut the northern and
southern extremities. each fanked by square
overhanging tower The old buildings occupy
the centre of the present edifce, which has cost
15,O0O,0O0 francs Each pavilion has wide
archway; a range of windows with pediments
between small Corinthian columns lights the
ground -four: while above are palmer windows
and inches, the whole being surmounted by a
rich btustrade. From the centre of the roof
rises Il turreted bcfry with two colossal statues
representing the Seine and the Marne ard a
clock which marks the exact astronomical time
by means of wires from the observatory. D, or
the central door. way is bronze equestrian .s
relief of Henry w., which replaces the one des.
troyed in 1885, The northern and southern
| facades are fanked by the extreme pavilions OF
the principal aud eastern fronts; the eastern
| facade has four psvilions with central body
| adorned with IA detached Corlnthian columns
the intermediate paviions have five entrances
with Dorio ves.ibules leading into re courts
Thore ale three of these, two lateral ones oil
Corinthian and composite architecture, and A
central one, which is approached by broad
fight Of steps from the western front Around
the latter runs an Ionic arcade, beneath which
may be seen a full.length bronze statue of Loui.
XIV, and has reliefs representing Charity and
Divine Vengeance also statue of Charemagne
The whole of this court is rooted with glass and
profusey crnamented with stucco and gliding
and emblematic medallions in terra Gotta. Step,
in the rear lead to spacious vestbule with foul
Doric columns which communicate with thu
lateral court and state apartments. These latter
are too numerous and too elaborate in their ar
rangement and ornamentation to admit of any
description. Frescoes, statuary, sculpture, pic
lures, carving--every thing indeed which car
attract the eye and please the taste, is lavished
upon these splendid rooms which have witness
ed and helped to make so much history. Day
might be proRtably occupied in wandering
through them aud studying the superb specimen
Of art, the interesting souvenirs of the past
which are here displayed. 1t was from the ecu
trail window that Lonis XVI, with the red car
upon his head, harangued the people, and at The
Same place Lafayette presented Lonis Philip,
to the populace in 1880 Here Robespierre helt
his counsels, and here he attempted suicide whe,
the revolution he had Eursed seized it's author
Some idea OF the extent of the apartments ma,
be gathered from the fact that whom thrown
open to the city balls given during the winter
they form a circuit OF half milo, oont'in 100
persons, and require D,7l4 tapers and 1850 "a
burners to illumintse them. Behind the Hote
de Vile are barracks which accommodate ., so
troops.