Palais de la Légion d'Honneur

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Construction of the original Hôtel de Salm
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Construction of the original Hôtel de Salm

The Palais de la Légion d'Honneur is the building that houses the Musée national de la Legion d'Honneur (in English, National Museum of the Legion of Honour). The building is also known the Hôtel de Salm.

The building is the seat of the Légion d'honneur, the premier order of chivalry of the French Republic. It is located on the Left Bank of the River Seine in Paris. It was built between 1782 and 1787 by the architect Pierre Rousseau for the German Prince Frederick III of Salm-Kyrbourg. The revolutionary government nationalised the building, and from 13 May 1804 it became the seat of the newly created Légion d'honneur. It was destroyed by fire under the Paris Commune in 1871, but was reconstructed with the support of funds raised among recipients of the Légion d'honneur and of the military medals which it also commemorates.

The address of the Palace is:

2, rue de la Légion d'honneur
F-75007 Paris
Open daily (except on Mondays) 2–5 pm
RER: Musée d'Orsay (opposite the main entrance of the Musée d'Orsay)

An imitation of the Palace building was constructed in San Francisco (the California Palace of the Legion of Honor), and also serves as a museum.

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