Much of the Arsenal was constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries. The original complex occupied a vast territory between the Seine River and the Bastille, with only part of this ensemble surviving today. Its structure and decorative interiors changed over time. (...)
Much of the Arsenal was constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries. The original complex occupied a vast territory between the Seine River and the Bastille, with only part of this ensemble surviving today. Its structure and decorative interiors changed over time. It served as an arsenal until the reign of Louis XIII, and later became a private library, which was eventually opened to the public. In the second half of the 18th century, the Marquis de Paulmy, a former ambassador and minister, housed his noted book collection in the Arsenal. During the French Revolution, the library was seized and a decree of April 28, 1797, officially created the Bibliothèque Nationale de l’Arsenal and opened it to the public. In the 19th century, the Arsenal’s brightest moments were when the librarian Charles Nodier created a welcoming atmosphere for the intellectual elite of the time including Alfred de Musset and Victor Hugo.
