Tuileries+Palace

Tuileries Palace

The Tuileries Palace plays a huge part in French history not just for its grandeur but for it's turbulent past. Located on the bank of the river Seine in Paris, the palace hosted a multitude of events during the French Revolution and through the years. It was built in 1564, but it was greatly enlarged throughout the 1600’s to better resemble what it looks like today. King Louis XIV resided there while his new palace, Versailles was under construction. When his new palace was finished, the Tuileries was abandoned except for a part of it which was used as a theater. During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI and his family were forced to live here under house arrest after the revolts in Versailles. For a short period of time the National Convention held its sessions in the palace. Finally when Napoleon I came to power the palace was home to the king again as he made Tuileries his home. While in power he had the palace redecorated in the Empire Neoclassical style. Many of the best designers, architects,and furniture makers of the day worked in the palace. Inside there are many pieces of famous furniture such as a cabinet used as a jewelry box by the empress. It features several bronze ornaments and the middle panel depicts the queen. After restoration the palace became the royal residence, but in 1871 supporters of the Commune destroyed most of Tuileries. Today the gardens still remain and are a gathering place of artists, musicians, and just about everyone else. You can visit what is left of the palace and huge gardens that surround it. The gardens cover about 63 acres and still closely resemble the plans laid out hundreds of years ago. Inside the gardens are many interesting statues and fountains each with their own story. Being right next to the Louvre, the Palace is easy to get to and will be worth visiting on our trip.