Galerie of the Palais Royal - interior, 1831

The popularity of the Galeries of the Palais Royal dates back to the late eighteenth century, when Parisians visited the arcades at all hours in search of entertainment. Remaining open until 2 in the morning, the Galeries featured circus-like attractions, in addition to 180 boutiques. In an attempt to rid the garden of prostitutes and criminals, Louis-Philippe orchestrated the closing of a portion of the arcades in 1828, and opened the Galerie d'Orléans in 1830, shown here. Its cover consisted of a glass roof and it was said to be the most architecturally spectacular of all of the arcades at the time. The structure's impressive combination of iron and glass, of classical yet advanced styles, is testimony to its architectural depth and complexity that influenced the construction of other arcades in Europe. However, due to its relatively poor location and competition with other arcades, the Galerie d'Orléans was one of the least successful arcades of the nineteenth century. It was partially demolished in 1935 in an attempt to restore life to the Palais-Royal, leaving an open courtyard in the first arrondissement.