Originally the aristocratic district of Paris, Le Marais plays host to numerous historic and classic buildings. Various French Kings, including Charles V, built exquisite mansions here and gave the district a reputation for housing the rich and powerful. But beside being the aristocratic district, Le Marais acted as a home to Paris's Jewish community in the 19th and 20th century, and in the late 20th century to today it is the center of the LGBT community in Paris.