The royal castle of Fontainebleau (in French Château de Fontainebleau) is a mainly Renaissance and classical style castle, located in the city center of Fontainebleau (Seine and Marne), about sixty kilometers south-east of Paris, France. The first traces of the castle of Fontainebleau date back to the 12th century. The last works were carried out in the 19th century.
An important place in the history of France, the castle of Fontainebleau was one of the residences of the French monarchs from Francis I (who made it his favorite residence) until Napoleon III. Many kings have left their mark here in the construction and history of the castle, which is thus a witness to the different phases of the history of France from the Middle Ages onwards. Surrounded by a vast park and near the forest of the same name, the castle is made up of medieval, Renaissance and classical elements. It testifies to the encounter between Italian art and French tradition, expressed both in its architecture and in the interior decorations.
It was in fact the will of Francis I to create a "new Rome" in Fontainebleau in which Italian artists expressed their talent and influenced French art. Thus was born the School of Fontainebleau, which represents the richest period of Renaissance art in France and inspires French painting until the mid-18th century and beyond. Napoleon I nicknamed the castle as the "house of the centuries", evoked by the historical memories of which the place has witnessed.
The castle became part of the historical monuments in 1862, and in the lists of 1913, 1939, 2008 and 2009. Also, since 1981, the castle is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Rich in a first-rate architectural framework, the Château de Fontainebleau also has one of the most important collections of antique furniture in France and preserves an exceptional collection of paintings, sculptures and art objects ranging from the 6th to the 19th century .
The royal castle of Fontainebleau
Address: Place du Général de Gaulle, 77300
Phone: +33 1 60 71 50 70
Site:
https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/Location inserted by
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