A Monuments Et Ensembles.Indd

07 Monuments and ensembles

Criterion (ii) Set at the heart of a large forest in the Île-de-France, The architecture and décor of the Palace of Fontainebleau Fontainebleau had been a royal hunting lodge since exerted considerable infl uence on the development of art in France and Europe. the 12th century. It was transformed, enlarged and The Italian painters, sculptors and architects appointed by the king had a decisive embellished in the 16th century by King François I who and permanent infl uence on French Renaissance art, giving it its most precious wanted to make it a “new Rome”. Renowned Italian and prestigious models. artists, such as Serlio, Rosso, Le Primatice, and Nicolo Criterion (vi) dell’Abbate, were involved in the work, and the palace The Palace of Fontainebleau, which was a major royal residence therefore combines Renaissance art and traditional French for four centuries, is associated with events in French history of outstanding style. It was continuously maintained and embellished, universal importance, notably the revocation of the edict of Nantes by Louis XIV and bears the mark of each resident sovereign up to in 1685, and the abdication of the Emperor Napoleon I in 1814. Napoleon III. The current appearance of the domain is the result of these numerous transformations, and today it is composed of fi ve irregularly arranged courtyards, fl anked by buildings and gardens of different styles. The gardens, which are included in the 130 hectares of the listed site, were also extensively transformed over the centuries. They were eventually redesigned by Le Nôtre and gradually simplifi ed; they are now composed of four parterres of lawn bordered by fl owers.The palace was the scene of signifi cant historical events. © G.Ricci Novara - FMR / Chât. de Fontainebleau

UK Year of inscription: 1981 Criteria: (ii)(vi) Property: 144 ha Location: Département of Seine-et-Marne, Ile-de-France region United Nations Palace and Park of Fontainebleau Educational, Scientific and inscribed on the World Coordinates: N48 24 7 E2 41 53 Cultural Organization Heritage List in 1981