Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Parc de Monceau - XXXI


Parc de Monceau
Rotunda


This rotunda at the main entrance of Parc de Monceau 
is in the form of a classical Doric temple.  
It is known as the Pavilion de Chartres 
and was designed in the late 18th century by Claude Nicolas Ledoux.  


The ground floor of the temple was used as a customs house, 
while the upper floor was an apartment with a view of the garden 
reserved for Phillippe d'Orléans, Duke of Chartres, 
a wealthy cousin of King Louis XVI.  


Unfortunately, the Duke was guillotined during the Reign of Terror 
in 1793 and the park was nationalized.


Parc de Monceau
Boulevard de Courcelles
75008, Paris
Métro Monceau

15 comments:

Cezar and Léia said...

Awesome composition, I love the gate detail and the columns are beautiful!An amazing Pavilion.
hugs
Léia

Alain said...

Unfortunately ? Je pense au contraire que cela fut une bonne idée.

Starman said...

Poor ole Duke!

Joe said...

This rotunda just oozes history Genie.

LeeAnn at Mrs Black's said...

How beautiful, I love the colour of the stone. x

Virginia said...

Don't quote me but I think someone told me the groundskeeper (?) lives there now.
V

Jeanie said...

A spot I've not been, but because of several photos you've shown here, it is on the list!

TheChieftess said...

Being a Duke isn't always all that it's cracked up to be...

Alexa said...

Yeah, he sure did pay a price for getting to live here. But he'd probably have loved your wonderful shot of his former digs.

Woodworkin' & Good Eats said...

Connie turned me on to your blog. She told me what an amazing photographer you are. I am in awe of the photo below of the jet engine . . . you could not have captured the sun any better than that. It is an incredible shot. Great job!
Steve

Randy said...

What a great place for photography.

Jack said...

A fine place and a fine photo, Genie. I hope the jetlag is behind you and you have been hard at work refilling the photo inventory.

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Lovely entrance, I'd love to go for a stroll there!

Duncan in Kuantan
Kuantan nature photos

Palomasea said...

I gaze at this most beautiful park every day in Monet's rendition on my wall ;) Love it...
Such a dramatic shot...those gates are gorgeous.
Please say hello to PARIS for me! :)
xoxo

Mary said...

1793 was quite a terrible year, i've read. Beautiful place to live though. If the grounds keeper lives there as Virginia says, then he/she is one lucky human. (And it's not 1793 either.) :)