Question #6428   Submitted by Answiki on 07/25/2022 at 09:24:14 PM UTC

In French, should we capitalize the names of monuments?

Answer   Submitted by Answiki on 07/25/2022 at 09:27:38 PM UTC

In French, the names of monuments and other buildings are written with a capital letter for the common name (the tower, the cathedral, the door ...) and a capital letter for the proper name (Eiffel, Notre-Dame, de Saint-Cloud ...).


For example:

la tour Eiffel

la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

La porte de Saint-Cloud

la statue de la Liberté

There are some exceptions


  •  If the common name does not indicate the true nature of the monument, it is capitalized:


L'Esplanade Laurier is a tower.

Les Terrasses de la Chaudière is an office complex.

Le Forum de Montréal is a sports hall.


  • Hôtel de ville is written with two capital letters when referring to the administrative services, but without capital letters when referring to the building.


Il faut en faire la demande auprès de l'Hotel de Ville.

Le futur hôtel de ville sera en plein centre.


  • The common noun that refers to a monument is capitalized:


La Tour (Tower of London).

Le Grand Palais.

2 events in history
Answer by Answiki on 07/25/2022 at 09:27:38 PM

In French, the names of monuments and other buildings are written with a capital letter for the common name (the tower, the cathedral, the door ...) and a capital letter for the proper name (Eiffel, Notre-Dame, de Saint-Cloud ...).


For example:

la tour Eiffel

la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris

La porte de Saint-Cloud

la statue de la Liberté

There are some exceptions


  •  If the common name does not indicate the true nature of the monument, it is capitalized:


L'Esplanade Laurier is a tower.

Les Terrasses de la Chaudière is an office complex.

Le Forum de Montréal is a sports hall.


  • Hôtel de ville is written with two capital letters when referring to the administrative services, but without capital letters when referring to the building.


Il faut en faire la demande auprès de l'Hotel de Ville.

Le futur hôtel de ville sera en plein centre.


  • The common noun that refers to a monument is capitalized:


La Tour (Tower of London).

Le Grand Palais.

Question by Answiki 07/25/2022 at 09:24:14 PM
In French, should we capitalize the names of monuments?
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