PARIS – St. Louis City Hall draws comparisons to a popular Paris landmark that’s also being utilized as an Olympic venue for athletes and fans alike.

Hotel de Ville, also known as the city hall of Paris, will host outdoor fan zone and marathon events over the next several weeks.


Meet the St. Louis area’s 2024 Summer Olympians

The venue has served as the local government headquarters for France since 1357. It’s also the largest city hall in Europe, widely celebrated for its ornate facade and spirit of Renaissance Revival.

According to the City of St. Louis, their local city hall is inspired by Hotel de Ville, specifically the dormers, towers, and intricate interior designs. One key difference: Paris primarily uses limestone, while St. Louis primarily uses granite in the building’s architecture. Local architectural blog Saint Louis Patina goes into greater detail on the other differences.

That said, a recent photo of Snoop Dogg brought renewed attention to the similarities in appearance for some social media followers. And various side-by-side photos may show how their exterior qualities seem similar.

The square of the Hotel de Ville, or town hall, is transformed into a fan zone ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 21, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

FILE – St. Louis City Hall

St. Louis City Hall has stood for more than 100 years and earned St. Louis landmark status in 1971. The building houses six city offices, most notably the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.

The square at Hotel de Ville hosted fan zone festivities over the weekend with various sporting activities and broadcasts ahead of the Olympic games. It will also mark the starting point of the marathon events, which are set for August 10 and 11.

The 2024 Summer Olympic Games begin on Friday, July 26. Competitions will run through Sunday, Aug. 11.