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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), located on Rue de Richelieu in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, finds its origins in the royal library founded by Charles V in 1368 at the Louvre. After successive moves and dispersions, notably during the English occupation in the 15th century, it was definitively installed in the Mazarin Palace in 1720 by Abbé Bignon, under the Regency. This site, now called Richelieu quadrilateral, extends over an entire island and includes 17th and 18th century buildings, including the Tubeuf Hotel and remains of the Mazarin Palace, designed by François Mansart and Pierre Le Muet.

In the 19th century, architect Henri Labrouste radically transformed the site by adding a monumental façade on Rue de Richelieu, the famous reading room of the Prints (1868), and the central shop. His successor, Jean-Louis Pascal, finished the court of honour and built the oval room of the Periodicals (1936). These developments reflect the evolution of the library from a royal library to a public institution open to researchers. The Richelieu site, despite the transfer of part of the collections to the François-Mitterrand site in 1998, remains an emblematic place of conservation and research, housing specialized departments such as Manuscripts, Prints, or the Cabinet des Médailles.

The Richelieu Quadrilateral, listed and listed as a Historic Monuments in 1983, was the subject of an extensive renovation campaign between 2010 and 2022. This project, led by architect Bruno Gaudin, has made it possible to modernize the spaces, to integrate the library of the National Institute of Art History (INHA) and the National School of Charters, and to open a permanent museum presenting the treasures of the collections. Among these are exceptional pieces such as the Papyrus Prisse (circa 2350 B.C.), the Berthouville Treasure (I–II century), or medieval illuminated manuscripts, including the Most Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry. These collections, enriched by donations, bequests and the legal deposit established under Francis I in 1537, make the site a high place of written and artistic heritage.

The architectural history of the Richelieu site illustrates the successive adaptations of the library to the growing need for conservation and accessibility. Robert de Cotte's interventions in the 18th century, followed by those of Labrouste and Pascal in the 19th and 20th centuries, shaped a coherent set, combining classical heritage and technical innovations. The Labrouste room, with its bold metal structure, and the oval room, symbol of modernity for its time, bear witness to this duality. Today, the site, renowned Richelieu – Libraries, museum, galleries, combines preservation of heritage and openness to the public, with temporary exhibitions and easy access to collections.

The role of the Richelieu site goes beyond the strictly librarian framework: it embodies the collective memory of France, from Carolingian manuscripts to contemporary archives. BnF, as a public institution, continues its collection, conservation and dissemination missions, while developing partnerships with institutions such as INHA or the School of Charters. The complete reopening of the site in 2022, after twelve years of work, marks a new stage in its history, reaffirming its status as a major scientific and cultural pole, at the crossroads of periods and disciplines.

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