Hotel de Ville
Since 1357, the city of Paris' adminitration has been located on the same place where the Hotel de Ville, city hall, stands today. The square in front of the Hotel de Ville building was a huge gathering place for public executions. Although there are still many ceremonies executed there for the public these days, only the traffic is deadly.
Sometimes, in the summer, if you walk pass it, the sand is put in and the square is transformed into a beach volleyball-ish area with young boys and girls playing.
In winter, the square welcomes the cold by creating a humungous ice-skating area for the masses. It's very picturesque to ice-skate with the divine architecture as the backdrop.
Last February, I thought I was back in Asia on Chinese New Year where they held some sort of a chinese circus there.
One day the fountain turns shocking pink, etc, etc.
Even on normal days, passing by the city hall, admiring its facade is still a real treat. The Hotel de Ville just never ceases to amaze.
