In 1808, Napoleon Ist decided to build a definitive home for the
Paris stock exchange. In fact, since its formation in 1724 the stock
exchange had been 'of no fixed abode', meeting in the Galerie
Vivienne in the Palais de Mazarin until 1793, then moving to the
Louvre in the Palais Royale before ending up in the deconsecrated
church of the Petits Pères (today Notre Dame des Victoires). Since the
church building had to be returned to the religious authorities, the
stock exchange moved house one more time on the 7th October 1807
to Palais Royale where it occupied the so-called Galerie Virginie
under the great hall of the Tribunat. It was at this time that Napoleon
chose the land on the site of the vast convent Filles-Saint-Thomas
which stretched from rue St-Augustin to rue Feydeau as the place for
his “Imperial palace of the Stock Exchange”.
The Emperor wanted the new building to look like an ancient temple,
an isolated monument, something which would attract a
viewer's gaze. This vast rectangle (210 feet by 120 feet) with its
Corinthian peristyle was based directly upon the Palace of Vespasian
in Rome. The foundation stone was laid on 5th March 1808 by Crétet.
On the fall of the empire, work was far from being complete. The task
of completing the monument was conferred upon Eloi Labarre
assisted by Hippolyte Lebas and work lasted thirteen years from 1813
to 1826. A metal roof was placed on top and grand central hall known
as “the basket hall” was decorated with grisailles by Abel, Pujol and
Charles Meynier. Allegorical statues were added to the
steps up to the entrance in 1851-52, 'Commerce' and 'Justice'
on the principal façade carved by Dumont and Duret respectively, and
'Agriculture' and 'Industry' on the rear façade carved by Seurre and Prader.
The present Greek-cross plan is the result of the addition by Cavel (in 1902-1907) of the wings at the sides.
A typical example of the official Neo-classicism of the First Empire,
the Palace of the Stock Exchange in its time was home to the
commercial tribunal (1826 – 1864) and the Chamber of Commerce
(1826 – 1853).
Palais Brongniart – Paris Stock Exchange
