The story of Hôtel de Ville, in other words the Paris City Hall, begins in 1357 when Étienne Marcel, who was the provost of the Parisian merchants at the time, acquired the Maison aux Piliers to transform it into the seat of merchants. In 1533, the building was destroyed and, in its place, the Paris City Hall was erected based on the plans of Pierre de Champiges and Dominique de Cortone. The new building was completed almost a century later, in 1628. It reflected the power and wealth of the French capital. Yet, a few years later, it was targeted by the French revolutionaries. During the civil wars that followed, it went through several damages but, fortunately, it was reconstructed according to its original layout and designs.