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Top Ten
Essential Architecture |
top Paris Palaces |
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For a more complete list, see
Paris Main List |
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| 1 |
Palace of Versailles |
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The Château de Versailles —or simply
Versailles— is a royal château, in Versailles, France. In English it is often
referred to as the Palace of Versailles. When the château was built Versailles
was a country village, but it is now a suburb of Paris with city status in its
own right. From 1682, when King Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal
family was forced to return to the capital in 1789, the Court of Versailles was
the centre of power in Ancien Régime France. |
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| 2 |
Chateau de Villette,
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architect | Francois
Mansart |
location |
Condecourt, Val-d'Oise, France (35 minutes northwest of Paris) |
date | 1668-1696 |
style |
French
Baroque
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construction |
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type |
palace |
Designed by architect Francois Mansart around 1668
for Jean Dyel, the Comte d'Aufflay, Louis XIV's ambassador to Venice and
finished around 1696 by his nephew Jules Hardouin-Mansart. One of the
most significant historical Chateaux in France, Villette is at once both
simple and sumptuous with the great octagonal salon in white and blue
that has dessus-de-portes by Boucher, the elegant dining room with the
original 17th century carved stone buffet, magnificent boiseries and the
stone entry hall which completely exalts the classicism of the period. |
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| 3 |
Palais de Chaillot |
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architect
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Louis-Hippolyte Boileau, Jacques Carlu
and Léon Azema |
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location
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metro station:
Trocadéro |
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date
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1936 |
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style
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Stripped Classical |
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construction
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white stone |
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type
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Exhibition hall |
For the Exposition Internationale of 1937,
the old Palais du Trocadéro was demolished and replaced by the Palais de
Chaillot which now tops the hill. It was designed in classicizing "moderne"
style by architects Louis-Hippolyte Boileau, Jacques Carlu and Léon Azema. Like
the old palais, the palais de Chaillot features two wings shaped to form a wide
arc: indeed, these wings were build on the foundations of those of the former
building. However, unlike the old palais, the wings are independent buildings
and there is no central element to connect them: instead, a wide esplanade
leaves an open view from the place du Trocadéro to the Eiffel Tower and beyond. |
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| 4 |
Château de Maisons near Paris |
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The Château de Maisons (now Château de Maisons-Laffitte), in Yvelines,
Île-de-France, designed by François Mansart from 1630 to 1651, is a prime
example of French baroque architecture and a reference point in the history of
French architecture. |
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| 5 |
Vaux-le-Vicomte near Paris |
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The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a Classical French chateau located in
Maincy, near Melun, 55 km southeast of Paris in the Seine-et-Marne département
of France. It was built from 1658 to 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, Marquis de
Belle-Isle (Belle-Ile-en-Mer), Viscount of Melun and Vaux, the superintendent of
finances of Louis XIV. |
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| 6 |
Palais de L'Élysée |
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architect
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Jean Cailleteau, known as Lassurance the
Younger |
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location
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55-7, rue du
Faubourg-Saint-Honoré |
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date
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1718 |
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style
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Second Empire |
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construction
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masonry |
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type
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Palace |
The Palais de L'Élysée has its entrance on the
rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré but the property occupies a full block that extends
to Avenue Gabriel and much of the block consists of gardens. |
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| 8 |
Jardins des Tuileries |
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architect
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Philibert de l'Orme |
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location
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Paris 1st - métro: Tuileries or Concorde
Former royal garden when the Louvre was the home of French kings, the
Jardins des Tuileries have recently been embellished and are very pleasant
today. Nice view over the Louvre, place de la Concorde and Musée d'Orsay. |
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date
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Built 1564- Burnt 1871, demolished 1873. |
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style
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French
Baroque
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construction
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Stone |
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type
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Outdoor
space/ Park
Palace |
The Tuileries Palace stood in Paris, France, on the right bank of the
River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed. It closed the western end of the
Louvre courtyard, which has remained unopen since the destruction of the palace. |
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| 9 |
Jardin du Luxembourg |
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architect
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Salomon de Brosse |
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location
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Paris 6th - métro: Odéon or St-Michel or
RER Luxembourg
One of the most romantic parks in Paris.
Luxembourg is the garden of the French Senate, which is itself housed in the
Luxembourg Palace. |
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date
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1615. |
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style
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French
Baroque
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construction
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Stone |
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type
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Outdoor
space/ Park
Palace |
The Palais du Luxembourg in the VIe arrondissement of Paris, north of
the Luxembourg Garden, is where the French Senate meets.
The formal Luxembourg Garden (Jardin du Luxembourg) presents a
25-hectare green parterre of gravel and lawn populated with statues and provided
with large basins of water where children sail model boats. In the southwest
corner, there is an orchard of apple and pear trees and the théâtre des
marionettes (puppet theatre). |
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| 10 |
Jardins du Palais Royal |
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architect
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Jacques Lemercier |
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location
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Paris 1st - métro: Palais Royal-Musée du
Louvre- 6 rue de Montpensie 75001 PARIS
Surrounded by beautiful covered galleries, this park was the site of
many historical events. |
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date
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1634 |
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style
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French
Baroque
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construction
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Stone |
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type
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Outdoor
space/ Park
Palace |
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