Grand Hôtel du Louvre

Le Louvre des Antiquaires
Le Louvre des Antiquaires, 2012
General information
Country	France
Coordinates	48°51′44″N 2°20′17″E / 48.862093°N 2.338161°E / 48.862093; 2.338161Coordinates: 48°51′44″N 2°20′17″E / 48.862093°N 2.338161°E / 48.862093; 2.338161
Groundbreaking	1855

Le Louvre des Antiquaires is a historic structure in Paris, France on the Place du Palais-Royal. The building was originally constructed in 1855 as a hotel, the Grand Hôtel du Louvre. The enormous building was gradually converted to a department store, with the hotel finally closing in 1887. The department store, Grands Magasins du Louvre, operated until 1974. The building was then converted to an antiques mall, Le Louvre des Antiquaires. That business closed in 2015, and the building is currently being converted to a luxury shopping mall, set to open in 2020.

The Grand Hôtel du Louvre operated between 1855 and 1887. It had many innovative features, including many bathrooms and two steam-powered elevators. The hotel was progressively converted into retail space, becoming a large department store.

The building was constructed at 164-168, rue de Rivoli, Paris by the Péreire brothers at the request of Baron Haussmann, the prefect of the Seine. The Société immobilière de la rue de Rivoli was launched in June 1854 to undertake this and other projects in the area. Three months later a company to build the hotel was founded, with many of the same principals. The architect was Alfred Armand (1805-88). Jacques Ignace Hittorff (1793-1967), Auguste Pellechet (1829-1903) and Charles Rohault de Fleury (1801-75) also participated in the design.Félix-Joseph Barrias was commissioned to paint the frescoes. The Grand Hôtel du Louvre opened in 1855 in time for the Exposition Universelle.

An 1872 Baedeker guide described the Grand Hôtel du Louvre as "a huge, palatial edifice, the construction of which cost upwards of 50,000 l." It was the largest hotel in Europe. On the ground floor there was a large courtyard with a glass roof and galleries. There were shops along the 150 metres (490 ft) street front. A massive stairway led from the courtyard to the table d'hôte dining room. The table d'hôte often accommodated over 300 diners. There was also a more expensive restaurant, a salon 41 metres (135 ft) in length and a large billiard room. The modern hotel included many bathrooms and twenty lavatories. Another innovative feature was a pair of steam-powered lifts.