If you love to look at architecture as art, you’ll definitely enjoy the beautiful Parisian buildings in this post.
Paris has a curious mix of uniform facades and some outstanding and sometimes quirky architecture.
The typical Parisian buildings you see everywhere in the city are in the Haussmannian style. These are 6-7 story buildings with beige stone facades and black wrought iron balconies, that all look intentionally very similar to each other.
While the Haussmannian style houses certainly give the city a lot of its charm, there are many other unique architectural gems in Paris.
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Table of contents
Gorgeous buildings and interiors in Paris
This guide features buildings in various styles, from old classics to playful contemporary creations.
Louis Vuitton Foundation
The Louis Vuitton Foundation is a great exhibition space for modern and contemporary art, but its architecture is an attraction in itself.
The building is designed in the creative style of innovative Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, whose signature use of sweeping curves creates a sense of movement in the building, which he called a “magnificent vessel”.
There are twelve glass “sails” on this striking building, as it was designed to resemble a sailing ship.
When you go inside, other than the exgibition galleries, I also recommend going upstairs and out to the terraces for some views of Paris and the nearby forest.
Palais Garnier
One of the two opera houses in Paris, Palais Garnier is the older opera house that’s been described as the most beautiful building in Paris.
It’s definitely a very glamorous building, inside and out.
The exterior features a series of statues of famous composers and other statues representing the arts, such as music, dance, painting and theatre. I recommend you go inside as well because the interior is magical.
When you go in, the first thing you’ll see is the Grand Staircase, the place designed for the 19th-century aristocracy to see and be seen. But the most luxurious room in the opera house is the Grand Foyer. The excess in this massive room is so magnificent, that you might easily think you’re in the Palace of Versailles.
- There are quite a few other beautiful things to see inside the opera house, read my full guide to visiting Palais Garnier to find out the rest.
- Tickets and tours of the opera house (you’ll need a ticket to see the building interior even if you go on a self-guided tour).
Immeuble Lavirotte
The decorations on the facade of the Lavirotte Building are joyful, whimsical and quite enchanting.
French architect Jules Lavirotte was one of the most prominent Art Nouveau architects in Paris.
This building is one of the most famous Art Nouveau houses in the city and has some of the typical elements of the style. The facade features a fascinating array of animals, flowers and curved shapes.
- I’ve written a more detailed guide to Art Nouveau in Paris, including a self-guided walk featuring some more of Lavirotte’s work.
- You might also want to take a guided tour of Art Nouveau in Paris, to see even more of these beautiful buildings.
Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection
Right in the centre of Paris, a few steps from Forum des Halles, you’ll come across the dome of the Bourse de Commerce.
This building dates back to the 16th century, but it was transformed and restored by Japanese architect Tadao Ando to serve its current purpose as a contemporary art space.
It is home to the Pinault Collection of art that attracts a lot of visitors and makes contemporary art more accessible.
I highly recommend you see the building from the inside, the design is just captivating.
- You can get in for free on the first Saturday of the month or get an entry ticket here.
Galerie Vivienne
Paris is famous for preserving its old shopping arcades, the charming Parisian covered passages, where you can find interesting shops, elegant cafes and restaurants.
I got a chance to visit almost all of them on my last trip to Paris and Galerie Vivienne is the most beautiful arcade in my opinion.
It was built in 1823 close to the Royal Palace (Palais Royal) in the city centre.
The floor is decorated with colourful mosaics and the ceiling is a glass roof, so the place is full of light.
- To discover more of these passages around the city and learn about them, you can take a guided tour with a professional guide – check availability here.
Galeries Lafayette Haussmann
Even people who wouldn’t normally walk into an upscale department store, go to Galeries Lafayette just to look up and admire its gorgeous dome.
Paris has some magnificent department stores (in French: Grands Magasins) worth seeing, with Galeries Lafayette on Haussmann Boulevard being the most famous.
The others include BHV, Le Bon Marche, Printemps Haussmann and La Samaritaine.
The celebrated stained glass dome at Galeries Lafayette was designed in the Art Nouveau style of the time (early 20th century).
It gives the place a very luxurious feel, thanks to its elaborate decorations, which you can see more clearly as you go up to the top floor of the shop.
- The Palais Garnier opera house is just next to Galeries Lafayette Haussmann and you can take a guided tour of both interiors.
La Samaritaine
Another Parisian department store not to be missed is La Samaritaine.
It is a complex of five different buildings, each with its own style, but the one that I loved most is the one located by the river right next to Pont Neuf, where the old charm has been preserved.
Both the interior and the exterior are a joy, especially if you go up to the 5th floor, where you can get an excellent view of the wall painting, glass roof and decorated staircase.
The interior and facade were designed in the Art Nouveau style, while the side of the building facing the river has a more modern Art Deco design.
The Arab World Institute
The large 1980s building that houses the Arab World Institute is a unique modern building that invites you to pay attention to small details.
The Arab World Institute (in French: Institut du monde arabe) works for a better representation of the Arab world in France. Inside the building, you’ll find a museum, a library and a gift shop.
The award-winning design of the building by architect Jean Nouvel uses modern technology inspired by traditional Arabic architecture.
Before you enter the building, look at the facade. It looks like a glass wall made up of square tiles with geometric shapes on them.
Geometric patterns are very common in Islamic design. You may be familiar with them if you’ve seen Islamic art and architecture in Arab countries or in Spain or Portugal, for example.
The original purpose was to avoid using human figures in art, for fear they may become objects of worship.
The mashrabiya system was another source of inspiration for this building. It is a historical element of Arab world architecture, used to regulate the climate inside the building in hot countries. Mashrabiyas are decorated window screens, limiting the amount of sunlight while allowing the flow of air into the house.
The Arab World Institute uses an advanced system that controls the amount of sunlight, inspired by the mashrabiya system, using light-sensitive diaphragms, automatically adapting the amount of sunlight in the building.
You can find out more about the architecture of the Arab World Institute on ArchDaily.
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