Palais Royal
Labels :
Comédie Française,
Palais Royal,
Paris architecture
The Palais Royal is just opposite to the Louvre; the metro station is called “Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre”, with a very special entry design which I posted about in June.
The Palais Royal was built in the beginning of the 17th century for Cardinal Richelieu and was first known as Palais Richelieu. After Richelieu, some other occupants have been Queen Anne of Austria, Cardinal Mazarin, the young Louis XIV, several dukes of Orléans (the cadet branch of the Bourbons) including the “Regent” and “Philippe Egalité”, some Napoleon relatives… Today it houses the Conseil d’Etat (the Constitutional Council), the Ministry of Culture etc…
"Philippe Egalité" (Louis Philippe II) who actively supported the French revolution – but anyhow was guillotined - was the one who opened the gardens to the public and also had the structures around the garden, the colonnades etc. built.
The gardens, with shops, cafés and restaurants under the colonnades became very popular and some events linked to the revolution took place here. Among the restaurants, “Le Grand Véfour” (3 Michelin stars) can be mentioned.
The place is also known for its theatres. In the palace you could e.g. find a theatre where Molière played regularly and made his last performance. (This theatre later burnt.) "Philippe Egalité" also integrated a new theatre (1790) which later was to become the National Theatre, “La Comédie Française”. In another corner you can find another, as old, smaller but beautiful theatre with the name “Palais Royal”.
The black and white columns you can see (with a black and white young lady sitting on of them) – “les Colonnes de Buren” - were put there in 1986; a piece of art which has been as much contested as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvres pyramid…
One more small detail: This little canon was placed in the garden in 1786. A magnifying glass was supposed to set fire to wick each (sunny) day at noon and to provoke a small “bang”. It is now supposed to work again (not the day I was there). 
Some of the photos in the patchwork can be found on my other blog “Peter – photos”.
The Palais Royal was built in the beginning of the 17th century for Cardinal Richelieu and was first known as Palais Richelieu. After Richelieu, some other occupants have been Queen Anne of Austria, Cardinal Mazarin, the young Louis XIV, several dukes of Orléans (the cadet branch of the Bourbons) including the “Regent” and “Philippe Egalité”, some Napoleon relatives… Today it houses the Conseil d’Etat (the Constitutional Council), the Ministry of Culture etc…
"Philippe Egalité" (Louis Philippe II) who actively supported the French revolution – but anyhow was guillotined - was the one who opened the gardens to the public and also had the structures around the garden, the colonnades etc. built.
The gardens, with shops, cafés and restaurants under the colonnades became very popular and some events linked to the revolution took place here. Among the restaurants, “Le Grand Véfour” (3 Michelin stars) can be mentioned.
The place is also known for its theatres. In the palace you could e.g. find a theatre where Molière played regularly and made his last performance. (This theatre later burnt.) "Philippe Egalité" also integrated a new theatre (1790) which later was to become the National Theatre, “La Comédie Française”. In another corner you can find another, as old, smaller but beautiful theatre with the name “Palais Royal”.
The black and white columns you can see (with a black and white young lady sitting on of them) – “les Colonnes de Buren” - were put there in 1986; a piece of art which has been as much contested as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvres pyramid…
One more small detail: This little canon was placed in the garden in 1786. A magnifying glass was supposed to set fire to wick each (sunny) day at noon and to provoke a small “bang”. It is now supposed to work again (not the day I was there). Some of the photos in the patchwork can be found on my other blog “Peter – photos”.
