Jaime Marquet facts for kids

Portrait of the architect Marquet by Faronne Ollivier.

Jaime Marquet (born Jacques Marquet) was a famous French architect. He was born in Paris in 1710 and passed away in 1782. Jaime Marquet spent a lot of his career working in Spain. He designed some very important buildings and places. His most famous works are the Puerta del Sol plaza in Madrid and the big building next to it, the Real Casa de Correos. This building used to be the main post office. Today, it is where the President of the Community of Madrid works.

Life and Work

Jaime Marquet started his career in the 1750s. A Spanish ambassador in Paris, Fernando de Silva, 12th Duke of Alba, asked him to build a new palace. This palace was for the Duke's family home in Piedrahíta. Marquet worked on it between 1755 and 1766.

The Duke of Alba then introduced Marquet to the Spanish King, Ferdinand VI of Spain. The King asked Marquet to help improve the streets of Madrid. In 1755, Marquet joined the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando. This was a very important art and architecture academy.

Designing Puerta del Sol

Between 1756 and 1760, King Ferdinand VI wanted to build a new headquarters for the Spanish postal service. This building would be at the Puerta del Sol in Madrid. Another architect, Ventura Rodríguez, started this project.

In 1759, King Ferdinand VI died. His successor, King Carlos III, also liked French styles in art and architecture. However, King Carlos III had different ideas about design than Ventura Rodríguez. Because of these changes, Jaime Marquet took over the Puerta del Sol project in 1760. He oversaw the construction of the main post office building between 1766 and 1768.

Other Important Buildings

Besides the palace in Piedrahíta and the Puerta del Sol project, Jaime Marquet designed other notable buildings:

• The Royal Church of San Antonio in Aranjuez (around 1752).
• The Queen Mother's Coach Houses in Aranjuez, Madrid (1758).
• The Barracks for the Spanish and Walloon Royal Guards in Aranjuez (1770–72).
• The Royal Coliseo de Carlos III in Aranjuez (1767). This was the first enclosed theater built in Spain.
• The Royal Coliseo de Carlos III in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid (1771–72).

Images for kids

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  The Royal Church of San Antonio in Aranjuez.

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  The front of the Palacio de los duques de Alba in Piedrahíta.

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  The Real Casa de Correos in Madrid.

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  The Coach House of the Queen Mother.

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  The Barracks of the Spanish Royal Guard in Aranjuez.

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  The main gate of the Spanish Guards barracks, now in a park.

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  The Royal Coliseo de Carlos III Theater at San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

See also

In Spanish: Jaime Marquet para niños