Tuileries Palace
Construction began in 1564 on a site that had been filled with workshops and kilns making roof tiles. Catherine de' Medici purchased the land between 1563 and 1568 to build a new residence near the Louvre Castle. Philibert de l'Orme served as chief architect until his death in 1570. Jean Bullant took over the project after de l'Orme died while work was still in its early stages. The 1588 Day of the Barricades abruptly halted construction and left the unprotected site open to pillaging.
Henri IV resumed work in 1594 following his triumphal return to Paris. He constructed the Grande Galerie parallel to the Seine to connect the two palaces. Louis XIV moved the court into the Tuileries Palace in November 1667 but departed for Versailles by 1722. A spectacular Carrousel held in 1662 drew over 700 participants to the courtyard. Louis XV arrived from Versailles on the 1st of January 1716 at age five and remained only until June 1722 before returning to the royal seat.
On the 6th of October 1789, Louis XVI and his family were forced to leave Versailles for Paris. They moved into the Tuileries where furniture had to be brought directly from their former home. On the 10th of August 1792 a large mob stormed the gates and massacred the Swiss Guards defending the palace. Fires set during this attack destroyed several outlying buildings. The National Convention launched the Reign of Terror in 1793-94 from the Salle des Machines within the palace walls.
Napoleon Bonaparte moved his residence to the Tuileries on the 19th of February 1799. Charles Percier and Pierre Fontaine began redesigning the interior in the Neoclassical Empire style. In 1806 he ordered the construction of a triumphal arch in the center of the Carrousel courtyard. Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor in 1808 and advanced Henri IV's grand project to connect the palaces. A new street called Rue de Rivoli was carried out to clear the courtyard.
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte moved into the Tuileries in 1852 after proclaiming himself emperor. Imposing staterooms were designed in what became known as the Second Empire style. Queen Victoria visited the palace in 1855 for state ceremonies. The private apartment used by Louis-Napoléon consisted of gilt boxes furnished in the style of the First Empire. His rooms were kept at extremely high temperatures and filled with smoke from his constant cigarette smoking.
On the 23rd of May 1871, twelve men under Jules Bergeret set the Tuileries on fire using petroleum and liquid tar. The blaze lasted forty-eight hours and thoroughly gutted the palace except for foundations and the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel. The dome itself was blown up by explosives placed in the central pavilion. The ruins stood on the site for eleven years before demolition began in February 1883. Achille Picart sold bits of stone and marble as souvenirs to build structures elsewhere.
The Tuileries Garden still closely follows the design laid out by André Le Nôtre in 1664. A straight line runs through the Place de la Concorde to La Défense originally centered on the palace façade. In 2003 a group called the Committee for the Reconstruction of the Tuileries proposed rebuilding the palace on its original site. A 2006 estimate put the cost at 300 million euros. Michel Clément stated in 2008 that reconstruction is not part of French heritage culture to resurrect monuments ex nihilo.
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Common questions
Who purchased the land for Tuileries Palace between 1563 and 1568?
Catherine de' Medici purchased the land to build a new residence near the Louvre Castle. She acquired the site which had previously been filled with workshops and kilns making roof tiles.
When did construction on Tuileries Palace begin and who was the first architect?
Construction began in 1564 under chief architect Philibert de l'Orme. Work continued until his death in 1570 when Jean Bullant took over the project during its early stages.
What happened to Tuileries Palace on the 23rd of May 1871?
Twelve men under Jules Bergeret set the palace on fire using petroleum and liquid tar. The blaze lasted forty-eight hours and thoroughly gutted the building except for foundations and the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.
How many years did the ruins of Tuileries Palace stand before demolition started?
The ruins stood on the site for eleven years before demolition began in February 1883. Achille Picart sold bits of stone and marble as souvenirs to build structures elsewhere after the destruction.
Who designed the current layout of the Tuileries Garden and when was it created?
André Le Nôtre laid out the design for the Tuileries Garden in 1664. A straight line runs through the Place de la Concorde to La Défense originally centered on the palace façade.