Maison dorée (Paris)

The building at twenty Boulevard des Italiens is marked by its neo-Renaissance facade, a striking remnant of the era when this stretch of the city served as the epicenter of Parisian high society. Originally opened in eighteen forty-one, the establishment earned its name, the Gilded House, from the opulent gold-leaf gilding on its balconies and mirrors. It was a place designed for the elite, offering discreet private rooms that hosted figures such as the Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, Empress Eugénie.