Initial construction 1663 (≈ 1663)
Built for Nicolas Wiet, master mason.
1827
Conversion into palace
Conversion into palace 1827 (≈ 1827)
Become the Hotel of Europe and Princes.
1835
Stay of Meyerbeer
Stay of Meyerbeer 1835 (≈ 1835)
Composer stays in the hotel.
1860
Breakthrough
Breakthrough 1860 (≈ 1860)
Pass of the Princes crosses the hotel.
1990
Heritage protection
Heritage protection 1990 (≈ 1990)
Facade and roof inscribed.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Nicolas Wiet - Master mason
Sponsor of construction in 1663.
Meyerbeer - Composer
Famous guest of the hotel in 1835.
Origin and history
The Hôtel de l'Europe et des Princes, located at 97 rue de Richelieu in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, was built in the 3rd quarter of the 17th century, more precisely in 1663. Originally commissioned for master mason Nicolas Wiet, this building embodied bourgeois residential architecture of the Louis XIV period, with facades and roofs now protected under the Historic Monuments (inscription in 1990). Its location in an urbanly changing neighbourhood reflected the expansion of Paris under the Ancien Régime.
In 1827, the hotel was transformed into a luxury furnished hotel under the name Hotel de l'Europe et des Princes, becoming a prestigious establishment of 40 rooms. He welcomed notable personalities, such as composer Meyerbeer in 1835, demonstrating his influence in Parisian cultural life. Its history is also part of the Haussmannian works: in 1860, the passage of the Princes was pierced through its walls, changing its immediate environment and integrating the hotel into the network of covered passages, emblematic of the 19th century Paris.
Today, the Hotel de l'Europe et des Princes is a private property, only the facade and roof are classified. Its historic address (97 rue de Richelieu) contrasts with its current access through the 29B passage des Princes, highlighting the strata of its past. Although its contemporary use (rent, visit) is not specified, its architectural heritage and its role in the 19th century luxury hotels make it a key witness to the urban and social evolution of Paris.