Parc Monceau .281778.29 History of parks and gardens of Paris

the egyptian pyramid in parc monceau, garden of times , places (1778).

parc monceau established phillippe d orléans, duke of chartres, cousin of king louis xvi, wealthy, , active in court politics , society. in 1769 had begun purchasing land park located. in 1778, decided create public park, , employed writer , painter louis carrogis carmontelle design gardens. in 1778, when garden opened, carmontelle accused of imitating english garden. in book of images of garden published in 1779, responded: not @ english garden made @ monceau... reunited in 1 single garden times , places. simple fantasy, desire have extraordinary garden, pure amusement, , not desire imitate nation, which, in making natural gardens, runs roller on lawns , ruins nature. park contained dozens of fabriques, or constructions, including egyptian pyramid, antique sculptures, gothic ruin, tatar tent, dutch windmill, minaret, roman temple, , enchanted grotto,. visitors garden instructed follow path, site site. experience enhanced park employees in exotic costumes, , camels , other rare animals.

beginning in 1781, of fabriques removed, , parc monceau remade more traditional english landscape garden. during reign of napoleon iii, park became property of city of paris, , made public park. sections of park sold construction of large new townhouses finance construction of park. park surrounded monumental ornamental iron gate , fence , planted wide variety of exotic trees, shrubs , flowers. during third french republic, park filled statues of composers , writers. arcade of old hotel de ville, burned paris commune in 1871, installed in garden provide picturesque ruin. few traces of original folly, including egyptian pyramid, can still seen.