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Medici column
Colonne Médicis
	Medici column in 2011
Location	Bourse de commerce, Paris, France
Designer	Jean Bullant
Height	28m
Beginning date	1575

The Medici column is a monument in Paris, France, located in front of the Bourse de commerce. It has been listed since 1862 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture, and is the only remnant of the former Hôtel de Soissons.^[1]

History

The column was built in 1575 by Jean Bullant at the request of Catherine de' Medici.^[2] It is believed it may be a tribute to Henri II, who was killed after a prediction was made by Nostradamus. Catherine also had a love for astrology and when Nostradamus left Paris, she asked to have the column built so that Cosimo Ruggieri could use it.^[2]

Description

The fluted column is 28 meters high. Inside are 147 spiral steps which lead to a viewing platform. It used to have a glass roof. Now the platform is covered with an iron frame. The four corners of the columns top match the four points of a compass. The column was not an original part of the plan when Catherine de' Medici was planning the building of her home, the Hôtel de Soissons, to which the column connected.^[2]

Location

___	Located near the Métro stations: Louvre - Rivoli and Les Halles.

References

^ Base Mérimée: PA00085839, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French) Ancien hôtel de Soissons
^ ^a ^b ^c Garance, Jacques; Raton, Maud (2007). Secret Paris. Paris: Jonglez Publishing. pp. 10. ISBN 978-2915807172.