Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye |
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| General information | |
| Location | Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France |
| Construction started | 1124 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Pierre Chambiges |
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is an old royal palace in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. It is about 19 kilometers (12 miles) west of Paris. Today, it is home to the National Museum of Archaeology. This museum shows many ancient objects found in France.
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History of the Château
Early Days: 12th–13th Centuries
The first castle on this spot was built in 1124 by King Louis VI. It was called the Grand Châtelet. Later, King Louis IX made the castle much bigger in the 1230s.
King Louis IX also built a special chapel at the castle. It was called the Sainte-Chapelle. This chapel was made to hold important relics, like a piece of the Crown of Thorns. The design of this chapel was very new for its time. It had many tall, narrow windows instead of solid walls. This made the inside very bright and open. This chapel was a model for the famous Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Both were built by the same architect, Pierre de Montreuil.
In 1346, the castle was burned down by the Black Prince. Only the Gothic chapel survived. The old castle, known as the Château Vieux, was rebuilt by King Charles V in the 1360s.
Royal Changes: 16th–18th Centuries
The oldest parts of the castle you see today were rebuilt by King Francis I in 1539. Over time, it was made even larger. In 1547, a famous duel happened here. A man named Guy de Chabot won against François de Vivonne.
King Henry II built a completely new palace nearby. It was called the Château Neuf. This new palace had amazing gardens with three huge terraces. These terraces went down a slope towards the Seine river. The gardens were designed in a new Italian style. They had patterned flowerbeds, gravel paths, fountains, and formal groups of trees. These gardens helped create the style of the famous French formal gardens.
King Louis XIV was born at Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1638. He made the castle his main home in 1666. However, he preferred the older Château Vieux. The Château Neuf was left empty and later taken down. From 1663 to 1682, a team of famous architects and gardeners worked on the old castle. This team included Louis Le Vau, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and André Le Nôtre. They made the castle look more grand.
André Le Nôtre also redesigned the gardens from 1669 to 1673. He created a very long stone terrace, about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) long. From this terrace, you can see the Seine valley and even Paris in the distance.
In 1688, King Louis XIV gave the château to King James II of England. James II had been exiled from Britain during the Glorious Revolution. He lived in the château for thirteen years. His daughter, Louise-Marie Stuart, was born here in 1692. Many of James II's supporters, called Jacobites, also lived at the château. They stayed there until the French Revolution in 1793.
Modern Times: 19th–21st Centuries
In the 1800s, Napoleon I used the château as a training school for his cavalry officers. Later, Napoleon III started to restore the castle in 1862. He wanted to bring back its French Renaissance style.
In 1867, the château became the Musée des Antiquités Nationales. This museum showed ancient objects found in France. The restoration work continued for many years.
On September 10, 1919, an important event happened here. The Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye was signed at the château. This treaty officially ended the fighting between the Allies of World War I and Austria after World War I.
During World War II, from 1940 to 1944, the château was used by the German Army. It served as their headquarters in France.
In 2005, the museum was renamed the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale. Its collections include amazing finds from very old times, like the Paleolithic period, up to the Merovingian era.
Gallery
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The palace as seen from the gardens
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An angle view of the palace
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Details of the palace's façade
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The entrance of the palace
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The entrance of the museum
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The inner courtyard
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One of the staircases
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The inner ceilings
