CHÂTEAU DU GRAND JARDIN, COTÉ CHÂTEAU

The Château du Grand Jardin is classified as a Historic Monument and Remarkable Garden for its exceptional testimony to the French art of living during the Renaissance (mid-16th century). This pleasure pavilion, built between 1533 and 1546 by Claude de Lorraine, 1st Duke of Guise, complemented the former seigniorial residence, Château d'En-Haut, which no longer exists.

A reception and performance space, the pavilion is built on a single level and comprises 3 rooms: the ceremonial hall, the ducal apartment and the Saint-Claude chapel. The building's facades are rich in sculpted decorations, notably antique battle scenes, victories and mythological motifs, reminding us that the Renaissance brought Greco-Roman antiquity back into fashion. Numerous clues suggest that the architecture and decor were inspired by the Italian school at Fontainebleau.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the site passed through the hands of various owners, before being acquired in the mid-19th century by ironmaster Pierre Salin-Capitain, who restored it to a certain splendor, transforming the upper parts of the residence and framing it with a picturesque park.
Requisitioned during the Second World War, the site was returned to the owner in a state of general disrepair. However, since its acquisition by the Haute-Marne departmental council in 1978, the site has undergone a series of major restoration campaigns: in the 1980s, the château's original interior volumes were restored; in the 1990s, the Renaissance-style gardens were restored; and in the 2000s, the picturesque park and roof were restored.

The site is also a departmental cultural center, offering a rich program of cultural events and activities for all ages.

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Fun tour also available on the Id-Vizit app:
Marie de Lorraine and the Château du Grand-Jardin
Let me introduce myself, my name is Marie de Lorraine, eldest daughter of the Dukes of Guise. Come with me as we discover the Château du Grand Jardin ... that is, if you can answer a few riddles...

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