Renaissance Gardens and Gardens a la Fran.C3.A7aise .281564-1700.29 History of parks and gardens of Paris

1 renaissance gardens , gardens la française (1564-1700)

1.1 jardins des tuileries (1564)
1.2 cours-la-reine (cours-albert-i) (1616)
1.3 place royale (now place des vosges) (1605–1612)
1.4 place dauphine (1607) , square du vert-galant (1884)
1.5 jardin des plantes (1626)
1.6 jardin du luxembourg (1630)
1.7 jardin du palais-royal (1629)

renaissance gardens , gardens la française (1564-1700)

in 1495, king charles viii , nobles imported renaissance garden style italy after unsuccessful italian war of 1494–1498. new french renaissance garden characterized symmetrical , geometric planting beds or parterres; plants in pots; paths of gravel , sand; terraces; stairways , ramps; moving water in form of canals, cascades , monumental fountains, , extensive use of artificial grottoes, labyrinths , statues of mythological figures. featured long axis perpendicular palace, bodies of water , view of whole garden, designed illustrate renaissance ideals of measure , proportion, , remind viewers of virtues of ancient rome. french kings imported not ideas, italian gardeners, landscape architects, , fountain-makers create gardens. first examples in france far paris, there more space big gardens; gardens of royal château d amboise (1496), château de blois (c. 1500), château de fontainebleau (1528), , château de chenonceau (1521), additions catherine de medici in 1560.

in mid-17th century, under louis xiv, french formal garden, or jardin la française, gradually replaced renaissance style garden; more formal , geometric, , symbolized dominance of king on nature. famous example gardens of versailles, made andré le nôtre beginning in 1661. le nôtre remade tuileries gardens in new style beginning in 1664.

jardins des tuileries (1564)

plan of tuileries garden 1576



the first flight of hydrogen balloon took place tuileries garden on december 1, 1783.



the jardin des tuileries painted claude monet (1876)

the first royal garden of renaissance in paris jardin des tuileries, created catherine de medici in 1564 west of new tuileries palace. inspired gardens of native florence, particularly boboli gardens, , made florentine gardener, bernard de carnesecchi. garden laid out along seine, , divided squares of fruit trees , vegetable gardens divided perpendicular alleys , boxwood hedges , rows of cypress trees. boboli, featured grotto, faience monsters designed bernard palissy, whom catherine had assigned discover secret of chinese porcelain.

under henry iv, old garden rebuilt, following design of claude mollet, participation of pierre le nôtre, father of famous garden architect. long terrace built on north side, looking down @ garden, , circular basin constructed, along octagonal basin on central axis.

in 1664 garden remade again andré le nôtre in style of classic french formal garden, parterres bordered low shrubs , bodies of water organized along wide central axis. added grand carré around circular basin @ east end of garden, , horseshoe-shaped ramp @ west end, leading view of entire garden.

in 1667, charles perrault, author of sleeping beauty , other famous fairy tales, proposed louis xiv garden opened @ times public. proposal accepted, , public (with exception of soldiers in uniform, servants , beggars) allowed on days promenade in park.

cours-la-reine (cours-albert-i) (1616)

the cours-la-reine (1616)

the cours-la-reine (part of today named cours-albert-i after king of belgium during first world war) created marie de medici, who, catherine de medici, nostalgic native florence long promenade (1.5 kilometers) along seine planted in 4 long rows of elm trees. built before champs elysees, popular promenade nobility, on foot or on horseback.

place royale (now place des vosges) (1605–1612)

place royale (renamed place des vosges in 1800) residential square , public park ordered henry iv , built between 1605 , 1612. in ordinance, king called place promenade residents of paris closely pressed in houses. square 108 meters long on each side, , lined houses of same height , in same style. center of square empty until 1639, when filled statue on horseback of louis xiii. square divided in flower beds , lawns diagonal alleys. statue destroyed during french revolution, replaced new statue in 1822 during restoration. 4 fountains added in 1840.

place dauphine (1607) , square du vert-galant (1884)

the square du vert-galant @ Île de la cité, takes name henry iv, famous romantic affairs.

place dauphine second planned residential square, after place-royale, built order of henry iv. located on southern point of Île de la cité, on site of garden of old royal palace. named future king louis xiii, , built in shape of triangle, point touching pont-neuf, had been finished in 1606. statue of henry iv on horseback placed on bridge @ entrance square in 1614, @ suggestion of widow, marie de medici. original statue destroyed during french revolution, replaced new statue in 1821.

the construction of bridge joined 2 small islands Île de la cité; 1 of these islands had been site last grand master of knights templar, jacques demolay had been burned @ stake in 1314. point of island below bridge , statue of henry iv turned public park in 1884, dedicated vert-galant, gallant green , nickname of henry iv, famous numerous romantic affairs.

jardin des plantes (1626)

the jardin des plantes in 1636, when jardin royal des herbs medicinales

the jardin des plantes, called jardin royal des herbes médicinales, opened in 1626, under supervision of guy de la brosse, physician of king louis xiii. original purpose provide medicines court. built on land purchased neighboring abbey of saint victor. labyrinth , belvedere 1840 can still seen in northwest section of garden. in 1640, became first paris garden open public.

in eighteenth century, under french natural scientist georges-louis leclerc, comte de buffon, directed 1739 1788, garden doubled in size exchange of land abbey, extending down banks of seine, , expanded addition of trees , plants brought french explorers around world. 1 can see today robinia tree planted in 1636, , sophora 1747.

in 1793, after revolution, royal garden became national museum of natural history, , zoo added. animals brought palace of versailles. garden expanded again, , school of botany founded. first greenhouse built in 1833 charles rohault de fleury, pioneer in use of iron in architecture. first of large greenhouses seen today built jules andré in 1879; greenhouse of cactuses victor blavette in 1910; , tropical greenhouse, 55 meters long, rené berger in 1937. alpine garden added in 1931, , rose garden , jardin des vivaces added in 1964.

jardin du luxembourg (1630)

the medici fountain in luxembourg garden



the luxembourg garden in 1652

the jardin du luxembourg created marie de medici, widow of henry iv between 1612 , 1630. placed behind luxembourg palace, imitation of pitti palace in native florence. began planting 2 thousand elm trees, , commissioned florentine gardener, tommaso francini, build terraces , parterres, , circular basin center. medici fountain work of francini, though attributed salomon de brosse, architect of palace. after marie de medici s death, garden largely neglected. last royal owner count de provence, future king louis xviii, sold eastern part of garden building lots.

after french revolution, government of french directory nationalized large pépiniére, or nursery, of neighboring monastery of chartreux, , attached garden. in 1862, during second empire, georges-eugene haussmann replanted , restored gardens, took portion of nursery in order make room 2 new streets, rue auguste comte , place andré honnorat. medici fountain moved make room rue de medicis, , present long basin , statuary added fountain.

during reign of louis-philippe, fond of heroes of french history, garden decorated statues of queens of france , french women saints. during french third republic, government added statues of writers, painters, composers, mythical figures, , miniature of statue of liberty frédéric auguste bartholdi. bringing number of statues more seventy.

jardin du palais-royal (1629)

gardens of palais royal in 1739



view of palais-royal gardens in 1807, showing circus, or riding hall.

the garden of palais-royal built cardinal richelieu, after bought hôtel d angennes in 1623 , turned own residence, palais-cardinal. when died left louis xiv, had played in gardens child, , in 1643 became palais-royal. garden, designed claude desgots, featured 2 rows of elm trees, elaborate parterres , ornamental flower beds, statues, fountains , 2 basins, , grove of trees @ 1 end. became property of monsieur, brother of louis xiv, in 1692, , thereafter belonged members of orleans branch of dynasty. after death of louis xiv, became residence of regent, philippe ii, duke of orléans, dissolute lifestyle provoked many scandals. gardens became popular meeting place writers, , place frequented prostitutes.

a fire destroyed of palais in 1773, , owner, louis philippe ii, duke of orléans, decided turn profit-making establishment. built arcade of shops , cafés encircling garden, residences above, wooden gallery promenading around garden. circus established in center horseback riding. since private property, police not permitted access. in years before , after revolution, garden , surrounding buildings became meeting place revolutionaries, political debate, gambling , higher-class prostitution. theatre-francaise, future comedie-française, established there in 1787. during revolution, garden , arcade nationalized, , heads of guillotined on several occasions carried on pikes crowd around garden, in front of diners in cafes. owner of garden, though supported revolution , changed name philippe-egalité, guillotined in 1793.

after restoration, new duke of orleans, louis-philippe recovered property, , returned respectability. expelled gambling salons , prostitutes, , had garden , arcade rebuilt way today. palais-royale burned communards in may 1871, along tuileries palace , other symbols of royalty, , rebuilt. during 20th century, residences overlooking garden home of many french celebrities, including andré malraux, jean cocteau , colette. , 2 works of modern sculpture added in 1986; arrangement of columns, daniel buren, , fountain-sculpture of steel balls, pol bury.