Castle of Compiegne

The castle of Compiegne is an old royal residence located at Compiegne in the Oise (Picardy, France).

History

The royal palace mérovingien

Four palates followed one another Compiegne. Oldest goes back to the beginning of the dynasty mérovingienne and probably dated from the reign of Clovis, because its existence is attested at the time of wire of this one. It was probably built of wood and its site is difficult to determine.

Many instruments are gone back to Compiegne, which seems to indicate that Mérovingiens spent time there. It is in this “royal palace” of Compiegne that Clotaire I dies {{er}} in 561, to the return of a hunting. It is in Compiegne that Clotaire II makes peace with its nephew Théodebert II in 604. Dagobert I {{er}} joins together in 633 there the Parliament which decides foundation of the Basilique of Saint-Denis and it is with the palate of Compiegne that was preserved its treasure, divided in 639 between its successors.

Under the Carolingian , Compiegne is frequently the meeting room of the “general meetings” of bishops and lords and, starting from the reign of Pépin the Brief, becomes an important place on the diplomatic level: it is there that in 757, Pépin accommodates, in the middle of a large assembly, an embassy of the emperor of Constantinople Constantin V Copronyme and that it receives the homage of the duke of Bavaria, Tassilon III. It is there too that Louis the Piles brings together several assemblies including two, in 830 and 833, try to push it with abdication.

The palate of Charles the Bald person

Charles the Bald person gradually establishes in Compiegne the seat of its royal authority then imperial. In 875, it receives there an embassy of the emir de Cordoue, Muhammad I {{er}}, which brings rich person present convoyed at back of Chameau. Crowned emperor with Rome in Christmas 875, Charles founds in 877 the Abbaye Notre-Dame of Compiegne which it establishes with the site of the old palate mérovingien, while itself is made build a new palate located towards the Oise, to which the abbey is used as imperial vault, on the model of the palate that his/her grandfather Charlemagne had created with Aachen.

The son of Charles the Bald person, Louis II the Stammerer, is established and crowned in Compiegne in 877, in the palatine vault, where it is buried two years later, in 879. It is there that Eudes is crowned, duke of France, wire of Robert the Fort, proclaimed king in 888 by the assembly of large preferably with Charles Simple the, too young person. Become king in his turn, this last frequently remains in Compiegne which remains the principal residence of the sovereigns of the second race. It is there that the last of the Carolingians dies, Louis V, in 987.

The Capétiens continue to attend Compiegne, but the palate loses its political role gradually. The urban development of Compiegne the conduit to alienate little by little the old royal field with the profit of the population. Philippe Auguste reinforces the walls of the city and strengthens the old Carolingian palate by setting up a Donjon for better controlling Oise.

The process of alienation of the royal field is completed under Saint Louis. Only the big room and the tower of the old palate are preserved like seat and symbol of the military and feudal administration, but the large assemblies must from now on be held with the abbey of Saint-Crow. The king preserves at Compiegne only one modest residence in skirt of forest, with the locality Royallieu .

The medieval palate

Charles V builds towards 1370 a Château at the origin of the current palate. In 1358, whereas he is yet only regent of the kingdom, he joined together in Compiegne, in the old palate Carolingian, the general states and tested the lack of safety of the home of Royallieu, in skirt of forest. It then decides to build a new castle on a ground which it repurchases in 1374 with the monks of Saint-Crow, with which Charles the Bald person had sold it. It is necessary to make cut down the houses which are there and the work is not completed when Charles V dies in 1380. It is this castle which, increased to the wire of the centuries, will give rise to the current palate. Only some weak vestiges, drowned in the masonry of the building remain about it.

It is in this castle that Charles VI joins together the general states of 1382. The kings frequently remain in Compiegne with an interruption at the 15th century, the city falling to the hands from the Bourguignons between 1414 and 1429. Charles VII, which has been just made crown with Rheims, there made his solemn entry the August 18th 1429 and remains there during twelve days, inaugurating the tradition of the stay of the king in Compiegne with the return of the sacring, which will be observed by almost all the monarchs until Charles X included. He does not return to Compiegne, accompanied by the dolphin, the future Louis XI, that in 1441, to find a castle very damaged during different seats, that he makes give in state and increase in 1451, at the time of a prolonged stay.

Charles VIII and Louis XII make several stays in Compiegne. , which frequently comes there, makes improve the buildings and is concerned with installation of the forest. His/her son, Henri II, which remains there for durations generally longer, makes decorate the Carry-Vault, bored in the rampart of the city to give access to the court of the vault of the castle.

Charles IX is at the origin of the creation of a “garden of the King” of approximately 6 hectares, who constitutes the starter of the future park. The disorders of the wars of religion are not very favourable with long royal stays in Compiegne. Henri III must give up holding in Compiegne the general states of 1576, but it is with Saint-Crow that its body is transported to be buried there after its assassination in 1589, Compiegne being then the only royal city with being still “to the king”.

The castle of Compiegne, unoccupied and badly maintained during the wars of religion, became uninhabitable. When Henri IV comes to Compiegne, he prefers to place downtown, while the workshop of the currencies is installed in the castle in 1594. However, starting from 1598, the repair work starts. When Louis XIII comes for the first time to Compiegne, in 1619, it finds the stay so pleasant that it returns three times in the year there. In 1624, it settles April at July and receives there with the castle an embassy of the king d' Angleterre Jacques I {{er}} as well as the delegates of the United Provinces. At the time of its last stay, in 1635, Louis XIII orders the total repair of the apartments of the King and the Queen, carried out under the regency of Anne of Austria.

Under Louis XIV the exiguity of the pleasing castle to build downtown of the buildings for the large one and the small chancellery, stables of the King and Sir, of the hotels for the ministers and their offices, because Compiegne is, with Versailles and Fontainebleau the only royal residence where the King joins together the Conseil. For as much, Louis XIV regards before any Compiegne as a stay of rest and relaxation. It likes to drive out there and makes trace the large octagone and 54 new roads and build stone bridges on the brooks.

In 1666 takes place the first camp of Compiegne, first of a series of sixteen military army maneuvers, whose last will be held in 1847, intended for the training of the troops and their chiefs, for the education of the princes and the entertainment of the Court and the people. Most important of these camps of 1698 is that where, according to Saint-Simon, “the pride of the King wanted to astonish Europe by the watch by its power and astonished it indeed”.

After 1698, Louis XIV does not return any more to Compiegne. The castle remains unoccupied during ten years. From October 1708 at March 1715, it accommodates the Électeur of Bavaria Maximilien II Emmanuel, put at the round of applause of the Empire and to which its ally Louis XIV offers asylum and protection to Compiegne.

The rebuilding of the castle at the 18th century

Louis XV arrives for the first time to Compiegne the June 4th 1728. The young king chose to be established with the castle while is joined together with Soissons the congress which discusses peace with the Spain. Louis XV takes a great pleasure to drive out in the forest. Consequently, each year, at the summer, it will pass one to two months to Compiegne.

The inconvenience of the castle, together of buildings without unit, without overall plan, badly connected to each other and too small becomes manifest. After an interior installation campaign (1733), work of enlarging is completed under the direction of Jacques V Gabriel of 1736 with 1740.

Between 1740 and 1751, several reconstruction projects total are presented. All are eclipsed by that which Angel-Jacques Gabriel presents in 1751: immediately approved, it is put at once at execution. In spite of work, Louis XV continuous to often come to Compiegne, where he likes to drive out. It that it chooses to accommodate the May 14th 1770 the archduchess Marie-Antoinette of Austria, came there to marry the dolphin, future Louis XVI. The death of Louis XV does not stop work, which is continued starting from 1776 under the direction of Louis Dreux of Châtre, raises of Angel-Jacques Gabriel before becoming his collaborator. It completes the rebuilding of the castle by scrupulously respecting the plans of its Master. The unit - carcass work heavy castings and decorations - is completed in 1788.

Louis XVI comes very little to Compiegne. He remains first once in there 1774, shortly after his accession with the throne, and, in accordance with the tradition, in 1775 stops there three days while going to Rheims and three day while returning from there. , It made there thereafter that some briefs stays of hunting. The acceleration of work, following decisions taken by the King and the Queen in moreover 1782, made the castle not easily livable. Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette do not transfer their finished apartments.

The Parliament of notable the of 1787 judge the expenditure carried out in Compiegne excessive. Under the Revolution, furniture is sold, like that of the other royal residences (May-September 1795). In 1799, a first section of the Military academy is installed with the castle. With other elements, it forms the Technical school, which occupies the building until in 1806.

After the Revolution

The April 12th 1807, by a decree gone back to Finckenstein, orders the repairing of the castle. The architect Louis-Martin Berthault is in charge of the work management. Those consist of the setting out of water of the building and of considerable work of interior refitting and decoration. A large gallery (gallery of Ball) is in particular created in a wing of the court of the Kitchens starting from 1809. The garden is entirely replanted and a continuity is created with the forest, the wall enclosing being replaced by a grid.

In old wing of Queen, Berthault starts with to arrange summarily apartment intended for housing of king foreign, which is not long in receiving Charles IV of Spain, which arrives at Compiegne the June 18th 1808, after having been constrained to abdicate. There remains until September there before being transferred to Marseilles.

Napoleon accommodates in Compiegne the archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria, future empress, the March 27th 1810 for their first meeting. The Court returns to Compiegne after the marriage, celebrated in Paris. It goes back there the next summer, the imperial couple being accompanied, this time, of the king de Rome. In 1813, the castle shelters temporarily the king of Westphalia Jerome Bonaparte and the queen Catherine.

April 1st 1814, the castle is valiantly defended by major Otenin. A little later Louis XVIII, on the way of Paris, chooses to stop there a few days to analyze the situation before making its entry in the capital (April 29th - May 2nd 1814). In the years which follow, the princes and the princesses of the royal family frequently come to Compiegne, but always for briefs stays of one to two days, sometimes even a night or a few hours, at the time of a hunting, with a very small continuation.

Charles X makes its first stay in Compiegne as king de France of the 8 to the November 10th 1824, accompanied by a many continuation. 24 with the May 27th 1825, it stops there on the way of Rheims and, with the return, remains with the castle, according to the use, of the 1 {{er}} with the June 13rd. It comes there then frequently for briefs stays from hunting, lastly of the 24 to the May 29th 1830.

Louis-Philippe comes for the first time to Compiegne in 1832 to prepare the marriage of his/her oldest daughter Louise with the king of the Belgians Léopold I {{er}}, which is celebrated with the castle the August 9th 1832.

After the Revolution of 1848, Compiegne becomes national field. The Prince-President, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, goes there in February 1849 at the time of the inauguration of the railway line Compiegne Noyon. Become Emperor, it returns to pass there ten days of the 18 to the December 28th 1852, with a continuation of a hundred people. The Court returns to Compiegne in 1853 and 1855, but it is only in 1856 that the series of “Compiegne starts”, i.e. a one month stay in one month and half each autumn, for huntings in forest, with organization of the guests in “series” of a hundred guests each one. There were generally four series. The label is reduced to its minimum, the guests enjoying a broad independence.

In 1870 and 1871, the castle is occupied by the Prussian . It accommodates in 1901 the tsar Nicolas II of Russia, last sovereign to be resided at Compiegne. During the First World War, the English settles there, then the German staff in 1914. The castle is transformed into hospital in 1915 before sheltering the Large General headquarter of March 1917 at April 1918.

After the War, the service of the Areas released settles with the castle and causes major damage: in 1919, a fire devastates the Room of the Emperor and the Cabinet of the Council. In 1939, with the Second world war, the castle is emptied of its furniture, which will find its place in 1945.

The September 23rd 2006, the castle accommodates the France-Germany-Russia top joining together Jacques Chirac, Vladimir Poutine and Angela Merkel.

The palate and the park

The castle of the 18th century

With this castle built between 1751 and 1788, Angel-Jacques Gabriel and Louis Dreux of Châtre carry out one of the most sober monuments of large the Style Louis XV, that of the project of Gabriel for the Château of Versailles (the “Great intention”), while at the same time construction was almost entirely carried out under the reign of Louis XVI.

The ground is inconvenient at the same time by the irregularity of its perimeter, resulting from the influence of the old ramparts of the city, and by its unevenness, all the part towards the park being in heightening. Gabriel knew to compensate for in a masterly way these two irregularities:

the castle affects an unusual triangular plan: the small east coast the frontage on the place of Weapons by where is made the entry in the main courtyard, the large side the frontage on the street of Ulm and the Hypothénuse, the principal frontage on the garden, positioned skew compared to the axis of the main courtyard. In a way characteristic of architecture of the 18th century, this irregularity is made insensitive, inside, by the play of a kneecap, is envisaged by Gabriel. The visual angles are studied carefully so as to gum the feeling of irregularity of the building.

for made uneven, the architect provided the frontage on the park only with two levels (a ground floor and a stage), but, since the garden, it gave an impression of raising of this long low building by building a wall of terrace. All the other frontages of the building have three levels (ground floor, stage, Attique), the ground floor of the frontage on the garden corresponding on the first floor of the remainder of the building), while the stage of this frontage corresponds to the attic. But this change of level is completely insensitive because one never sees simultaneously the part on two levels and that on three levels safe with the angle of the place of Weapons, where the difference is corrected by the terrace.

Inside, the distribution is clear and the majority of great circulations are doubled by circulations of service. With each intersection of two bodies of buildings, a staircase serves the whole of the stages. The principal innovation made by Dreux compared to the plans of its Master was the substitution of a right staircase to imperial to the winding staircase initially considered as regards queen on the right of the main courtyard. For the vault, which was carried out only under the Monarchie of July, Gabriel had imagined a plan in Greek Croix while Dreux gave a project of quadrilobate plan.

The large apartments occupy the level which corresponds to the ground floor of the frontage on garden and the first floor of the remainder of the castle. The architectural decoration of the frontages is sober and precise and seeks only with rythmer, without useless ornamentation.

The interior decoration

Under Louis XV, all the interior decoration of the apartment of the king is dedicated to hunting: portraits of dogs by Alexandre-François Desportes and Jean-Baptiste Oudry in overdoor, large charts of the Forest of Compiegne by Pierre-Denis Martin the young person, tapestries of hanging of huntings of the king, woven with the Goblins especially for Compiegne on paperboards of Oudry. The woodworks are in white, without appreciations of gilding or color.

This decoration, whose certain elements are set up as of installations of 1733, remains in place until in 1781. There remain nothing about it, if not some re-employment of panels of woodworks had with Jacques Verberckt in secondary places. The decoration entirely remade between 1782 and 1786 continuous to fall under the tradition of the castle in white, in a bias of simplicity and freshness adapted to a residence of summer and hunting. The fabrics were on the other hand particularly neat. This decoration remained partly, in particular in the apartment prepared for Marie-Antoinette.

The interior decoration was deeply altered under the First Empire: Compiegne presents today a homogeneous decoration First Empire of the best period which makes of it the most faithful image which remained to us of a large imperial residence of the time of. This decoration results from the work carried out starting from 1808 by Louis-Martin Berthault, and continued according to its plans until the beginning of the Restauration. By contrast with the previous period, the Empire uses primary colors here, plays of shown contrasts, and proposes an extreme sumptuousness of decorations mixing woodworks, bronzes, painting, fixed under glass, draperies, etc

The park

The Garden with the Frenchwoman, initially projected by Angel-Jacques Gabriel, was never completed. From 1811, Louis-Martin Berthault, creator of the park of Malmaison, replants the central part in a garden with English the with dominant raised, characteristic of the taste of time.

The cradle of the empress

This long arbor of 1.200 m and glaze of climbing plants made it possible the empress (Marie-Louise, then Eugenie) to connect the forest to the palate without exposing itself to the sun of the garden then to overdraft. At that time should be kept the pale dye.

The avenue of the Beautiful-Mounts

The long and broad avenue of the 4 60 m km Beautiful-Mounts, prolongs the Small Park and the sight since the castle. It is open in 1810 by evoking the prospect for Schönbrunn to the archduchess of Austria Marie-Louise. She is finished two years after the death of the emperor, in 1823.

Museums

The castle of Compiegne, pertaining to the State, is affected with the ministry for the Culture and managed by the direction of the museums of France. The national museum of the castle of Compiegne , directed by a Preserving of the inheritance having row of conservative as a chief or general conservative, is charged to preserve:

historical apartments and their furniture;
the museum of the Second Empire;
the museum of the car.

Topicality

The September 23rd 2006, the castle accommodated the France-Germany-Russia top during which Jacques Chirac accepted Vladimir Poutine and Angela Merkel. The choice of the castle of Compiegne for this top is symbolic system since it commemorates a meeting between the president of the French Republic and the tsar Nicolas II which had taken place little time before the First World War.

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