What institution occupies the mansion?

The building houses the Forney art library.

What was the initial purpose of the mansion?

It served as the Paris residence for the archbishops of Sens.

Which notable figures lived at the estate?

Margaret of Valois resided at the estate, along with prelates including Antoine Duprat and Nicolas de Pellevé.

Why is a projectile embedded in the facade?

A cannonball struck the exterior during urban fighting and remains lodged in the wall above the entrance.

Who owns the building?

The municipality of Paris acquired the property and oversaw its restoration.

Paris · France

Hôtel de Sens: ce qu’il y a autour, comment y aller et quand venir · 2026

Residents in the Marais trade spacious living quarters for direct daily access to municipal art collections at their doorstep.

Carte des lieux

Autour6

Taux de change0,89 €pour 1 $EUR — la monnaie du paysau 2 nov. 2026

À moins de deux heures

arc de triomphe de l'Étoile≈ 25 min avenue des Champs-Élysées≈ 50 min tour Eiffel≈ 1 h

À propos du lieu

A fortified medieval residence survives in the center of the Marais as a specialised municipal art library.

Archbishops of Sens erected this mansion when Paris was a suffragan diocese under their ecclesiastical rule. Tristan de Salazar directed construction of the stone complex after an earlier prelate residence, incorporated into the royal hôtel Saint-Pol, was cleared away. Church dignitaries like Antoine Duprat lived here, followed by Margaret of Valois, who removed an obstructing fig tree that gave rue du Figuier its lasting name.

Archiepiscopal influence faded once Paris formed its own archdiocese, plunging the estate into neglect. Revolutionary authorities seized the complex as national property, leading to decades of commercial workshops occupying the halls. A stray cannonball from armed street clashes remains embedded in the stone facade above the portal. The municipality eventually acquired the site, completed extensive restorations, and installed the Forney art library.

Associations

Forney art libraryPublic art library occupying the restored archiepiscopal complex.
Archbishops of SensMaintained metropolitan authority over the capital from this seat.
Facade cannonballArtillery projectile remains stuck in the masonry above the gate.
Rue du FiguierNamed after an obstructive tree cleared away for carriage access.
Prolonged neglectThe complex endured heavy industrial wear before city restoration.

Faits

The property houses the Forney art library within the Marais district.
The building was erected as an urban palace for the archbishops of Sens when Paris was subordinate to their bishopric.
Tristan de Salazar directed the construction of the present mansion after an older archiepiscopal residence was destroyed.
An artillery ball fired during street clashes remains embedded in the stone above the main entrance.

Mis à jour le 13 septembre 2026Source : Wikipedia

Hôtel de Sens: ce qu’il y a autour, comment y aller et quand venir · 2026

Aux alentours6

A fortified medieval residence survives in the center of the Marais as a specialised municipal art library.

Arriver et se loger

Avis Google

Destinations similaires à proximité