Where is the Luxembourg Garden in Paris? Luxembourg Garden. Palace and park ensemble in Paris. Luxembourg Gardens in Paris: opening hours

The Luxembourg Garden (French: Jardin du Luxembourg) in Paris is a palace park on the left bank of the Seine, a favorite vacation spot for Parisians and tourists.

The original garden occupied only 8 hectares and was a small park with trees, flower beds and artificial ponds. In the 1630s, the garden was expanded to thirty hectares and acquired its modern appearance.

After the death of Marie de' Medici, the monarchs largely neglected the garden. In 1780, Louis XVIII sold the eastern part of the park, but after the French Revolution the garden was expanded to 40 hectares and restored.

In 1865, during the reconstruction of the Luxembourg Gardens, a fence was built around the park, an orchard was planted and numerous statues were installed.

Jardin du Luxembourg: garden highlights

You can have a great time in the Luxembourg Gardens, admiring the beautiful palace and ponds with fountains. There is a large orchard, apiary, greenhouse, rose garden and 106 statues scattered throughout the park, in particular the sculpture of Marie de Medici and the Statue of Liberty.

By the way, there are four Statue of Liberty in Paris: one, as we already know, in the Luxembourg Gardens, the second in the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the third on Swan Island, and the fourth Statue of Liberty can be seen near the Eiffel Tower.

Luxembourg Palace - residence of Marie de' Medici

The Luxembourg Palace was built in the 1630s as the royal residence of Marie de' Medici. The palace was built according to the design of the architect Salomon de Brosse in a transitional style from Renaissance to Baroque. At the beginning of the 19th century, after the revolution, the residence was converted into a legislative building and significantly expanded by Alphonse de Gisors. Since 1958, the French Senate has been meeting in the palace.

Medici Fountain

The Medici Fountain is located in the picturesque nature of the Luxembourg Gardens. It was built in 1624 along with the palace park. The fountain depicts a mythical episode - the meeting of the nymph Galatea with her lover Acis, and the cruel Cyclops Polyphemus looms over them. The pond adjacent to the fountain appeared in 1862, at which time the statues of the Seine and Rhone, as well as the coat of arms of the Medici family, were installed.

Entertainment in the Luxembourg Gardens

On the vast territory of the palace and park ensemble there are many interesting entertainment for children and adults. In the western part of the Luxembourg Gardens there is a large playground "Green Chicken" (Poussin Vert). It is divided into two zones: for children under 7 years old and for children from 7 to 12 years old. The playground is equipped with sandboxes, slides, rope courses, a children's climbing wall and a variety of swings.

In the park, children can ride a pony or an old 100-year-old carousel, or watch a performance about the life of Guignol in a small puppet theater.

The most popular entertainment for children in the Luxembourg Gardens is launching remote-controlled boats and sailing ships in the large pool in front of the palace. Joe Dassin mentioned this entertainment in his song “Le Jardin Du Luxembourg”.

For adults, there are no less interesting leisure options here. The park has tennis courts and basketball courts. There is an outdoor music pavilion where you can listen to performances for free. For board game lovers there is covered area for playing chess. In addition, visitors can view a free photography exhibition on the outside of the garden fence.

Parisians and guests of the capital choose the Luxembourg Gardens for family picnics, romantic walks and reading books. On the vast lawns in good weather there are always a lot of vacationers. And if you want to see the surroundings of Paris from above, visit the Montparnasse Tower - the most controversial building in the city, which simultaneously spoils the view and allows them to enjoy it.

Tourist information

Address: Rue de Vaugirard/ Rue de Médicis, 75006 Paris, France.

Entrance to the garden- free for everyone.

How to get to the Luxembourg Gardens

Metro(nearest stations):

line 4 - Odéon, Saint-Sulpice, Saint-Placide;
line 10 - Mabillon, Odéon;
line 12 - Rennes, Notre-Dame des Champs.

RER: Luxembourg station (line B).

By bus(nearest stops):

Senat - buses No. 58, No. 84, No. 89;
Musée du Luxembourg - buses no. 58, no. 84, no. 89;
Luxembourg - buses No. 38, No. 82, No. 84, No. 89;
Guynemer-Vavin - buses No. 58, No. 82, No. 83.

By bike from the Velib network- the nearest rental point No. 6009 at 28 Rue Guynemer.

Opening hours:

7:30 - 21:30 - from April to October;
8:15 - 16:30 - from November to March.

The Luxembourg Gardens, like Paris itself, are beautiful at any time of the year. When planning a trip to France, take care of your accommodation in advance. You can select and book on our website.

Luxembourg Gardens on a map of Paris

The Luxembourg Garden (French: Jardin du Luxembourg) in Paris is a palace park on the left bank of the Seine, a favorite vacation spot for Parisians and tourists.

The history of the creation of the Luxembourg Gardens

The Luxembourg Garden was created on the initiative of Queen Marie de' Medici in 1612 and now covers an area of 25 hectares.

Capitals of France. When mentioning him, the French themselves use superlatives: he the largest, most beautiful, romantic, French, amazing. The list of epithets is endless.

The Luxembourg Garden (Jardin du Luxembourg) appeared in the 17th century thanks to Marie de Medici. Missing her native Italy, she decided to build a country housea residence framed by plantings, similar to the one where she grew up.

Since it was abandoned for the public, it has become a favorite place of Parisians, creative intelligentsia from all over the world and tourists. Along shady alleys with unique Diderot, Hugo, E. Hemingway,Akhmatova, Brodsky, other famous personalities.

Until now, residents of the French capital flock here to wander the alleys and catch their breath,contemplating the natural beauty, admire the fountains on special chairs similar to sun loungers, have a snack in numerous cafes, play with children,meet your lovers. There is something for everyone here. Be aware that the walk may take a whole day.

What is the Luxembourg Garden?

The territory of the most French-spirited park is huge. The green zone has grown to almost 23 hectares. It is divided into three parts:

In the centerin front of the magnificent Luxembourg Palace, which took 16 years to build and became the seat of the Senate, there is a huge square witha magnificent pond (Le Grand Bassin) and numerous sculptures of royalty and prominent figures.

Northeast part is marked by the Maria Medici fountain, reminiscent of an Italian grotto in shape, surrounded by massive plane trees. Beside himalways crowded. On the contrary, hidden in the shade of trees is a cozy cafe where you can taste a truly French breakfast: aromatic coffee with melt-in-your-mouthcroissants. Nearby there are tennis courts, grounds for playing basketball and ball (golf in French), a town for active children's games (entrance paid).

The Luxembourg Garden is ideal for family outings. Children can sail rented sailboats in the central pond, ride on an old carousel, ride horses, donkeys, and ride with your parents in an old carriage. Following a long-standing tradition, watch a performance at the Guignol Marionette Theatre, wherethe main character resembles the Russian Petrushka. It is usually held three times a week: on Wednesdays and weekends.

Southwestern The part of the park is the quietest, forest-like. It ends with a garden with fruit trees, the fruits of which end up on the senators’ table, When the harvest is rich, they are distributed to the needy.

Attractions of the Luxembourg Garden

Among the architectural monuments of interest are:

Greenhouse(entrance from Vaugirard Street), where artists periodically exhibit their works, concerts are held, and at the end of September exhibition "Expo - autumn".

Luxembourg Palace(Palais du Luxembourg), where the Senate sits. Rare tourists get to see the luxurious interior decoration. Free access possible once a year. On National Treasure Days, on the third Sunday in September, the palace is open to everyone. The rest of the excursion timeare held on one Saturday of each month by prior arrangement.

When to visit, how to get there?

At any time of the year, the Luxembourg Garden is beautiful and open to the public: in the summer months from half past nine to eight o'clock in the evening, in winter from 8.00 to 17.00 hours. If, while in Paris, you intend to see everything with your own eyes, choose the next to the Odeon station or the RER B train"Luxembourg".

The landmark is a high wrought-iron fence and a stream of people, constantly rushing to plunge into the special atmosphere of the Luxembourg Garden.

The Luxembourg Garden is one of the most popular parks in Paris. A chic garden and park complex is located in the city center, right in the Latin Quarter of the French capital. This place offers many attractions for people of all ages and different interests. Students, parents with children and even tourists come here.

The area of the Luxembourg Gardens is 22.45 hectares, but it is almost always crowded. Students come here to work out, parents and children have picnics, and runners go for a run. As with many other outstanding attractions in Paris, the park is always crowded with tourists. But despite this popularity, the Luxembourg Gardens is still a great place to take a break from the bustling streets of Paris.

History of the Luxembourg Gardens

The park originally belonged to the Duke of Luxembourg, and in 1612 it was bought by Marie de Medici, widow of King Henry IV. After the king was assassinated in 1610, she decided to move from the Louvre to a new residence. Maria de' Medici spent her childhood in Florence, in the Pitti Palace. The famous Florentine Boboli Gardens became the prototype for the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. Salomon de Brosse was brought in to build a new palace and garden in the Italian style. At that time, the garden was very small, since there was a Carthusian monastery to the south of the palace. Despite the instructions of Maria de Medici, the Carthusians refused to leave their monastery, so the garden had to be cut down.

Almost two hundred years later, the Carthusians were forced to leave when the monastery was confiscated during the French Revolution. This made it possible to significantly expand the Luxembourg Gardens and update it in the French style. During the massive renovation of Paris in the mid-19th century, Baron Georges Eugene Haussmann slightly shortened the Garden around the edges, but it still remains one of the largest park areas capital Cities.

In the middle of the park there is a large octagonal pond, the Grand Bassins, where children can swim in small boats. The Luxembourg Gardens have many other attractions for children, including a puppet theatre, pony rides and a large playground. Numerous paths, picturesque meadows and flower meadows stretch across the entire territory of the Garden. The park is decorated with hundreds of various statues. Here you can settle in any convenient place- have a picnic in the meadow, or just read a book. People come here to play chess, or just chat with each other, visit the music pavilion, or tennis courts. Just behind the orangery is the Luxembourg Museum with its periodic exhibitions.

The Luxembourg Gardens of Paris are famous for a number of outstanding fountains, the most famous of which is the Medici Fountain - a romantic masterpiece of Baroque art designed in the early 17th century. It is located on the edge of a small pond in the northeastern part of the park. The central sculptural composition depicts the Greek mythological character Polyphemus. Very few people know that there is another De Leda Fountain behind the Medici Fountain. It was created in 1806 and also depicts a number of mythical scenes.

The third fountain is located on the west side of the palace. It was created in honor of the French painter Delacroix. In the middle of the pond there is a pedestal with a bust of Delacroix, surrounded by allegorical statues. In the southern part of the park is the Observatory Garden, which houses another fountain. The monumental fountain of the Observatory was created by Gabriel Daviu in 1873 with a central composition depicting the Earth supported by four women. Each of them symbolizes a separate continent.

The Luxembourg Gardens have a total of 70 statues. Notable among them are twenty statues of French queens, including Marie de Medici. Here you will also find a sculpture of the patroness of Paris, Saint Genevieve. Most of the statues in the Luxembourg Gardens depict famous people, politicians, scientists, sculptors, painters, poets and composers, including Chopin and Beethoven. A number of statues depict animals, or mythological creatures.

Many are surprised to see the La Liberte statue here, a miniature version of the Statue of Liberty created by Auguste Bartholdi. Thanks to the Bocca della Verita monument, Paris has a piece of Rome. Between 1615 and 1627, the Luxembourg Palace was built, located in the northern part of the Gardens. The palace was built for Maria de Medici, who missed her youth in the Pitti Palace in Florence. She asked the architect Salomon Brosset to use Pitti's design to create a Parisian palace in the Florentine style. The Queen never had time to enjoy her palace and gardens, as she was expelled by Richelieu in 1625, even before construction was completed. However, the Palace was completed and became one of the most outstanding

and the walls of the Sorbonne, on 26 hectares of land, on the left bank of the calmly flowing Seine, lies the luxurious Luxembourg Garden. At one time he was admired by many great sons French Republic, perpetuating it in paintings and serenades. I can’t help but remember the lyrical lines of Joe Dassin’s “The Garden of Luxembourg”:

Luxembourg Garden...
I haven't come here for a long time...
Here children run and leaves fall,
Here students dream of the time when their studies will end,
And teachers dream of returning to the days when it began...
The lovers slowly raise
The red carpet that autumn spread before them...

This park still remains a favorite vacation spot for Parisians, who feel comfortable and calm in it. Here they prepare for exams, sitting comfortably on benches, chairs or just on the grass, and enjoy warm sunny days, walking in couples along the shady alleys that Catherine de Medici herself once walked along.

Jardin du Luxembourg – a Medici dream come true

The Luxembourg Garden in Paris owes its origin to the queen, who left a bright mark on the history of France. Her name was associated with witchcraft, terror and conspiracies. The death of her husband, Henry IV, at the hands of Revallac, who unexpectedly turned from a school teacher into an ardent religious fanatic, looks very suspicious. The situation is aggravated by the fact that just the day before, Henry succumbed to Mary’s persuasion and agreed to crown her.

Having become a widow and regent of her minor son, Louis XIII, she firmly held the reins of government of the country. But it was not only power and political intrigue that interested the monarch. Thanks to her, the Cours la Reine boulevard (Queen's Boulevard), an excellent water supply system, a collection of Rubens paintings, now on display, and the Luxembourg Gardens around the Medici Palace appeared.

Having given the order to begin work in 1611, Maria thereby showed nostalgic tossing of her soul. The palace and park ensemble had many similarities with Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Garden in Florence, where she spent her best years, and also got married to Henry IV, although the groom sent a confidant to the ceremony instead of himself.

Deciding to build her own little Italy in the heart of France, the queen chose the place where the estate of the Duke of Pinay, who belonged to the Luxemburg family, who had long since left the world of the living, once stood. As planned, large wooded areas were interspersed with many flower beds, lakes and fountains, and to provide access to water, the large Arceuil aqueduct was built.

Although the garden has been rebuilt several times since the 17th century, we can still admire many of the things that were built during the great woman’s time, for example, a horseshoe-shaped ramp and high terraces surrounding the luxurious central fountain.

When Marie de' Medici was exposed to her beloved, but mature enough for his own intrigues, son Louis from the palace, her brainchild was not left to the mercy of fate. The Luxembourg Garden was too beautiful to stop caring for. At the expense of the lands of the Carthusian monastery, its territory was increased, and later the Avenue de l’Observatoire ran from the ramp to the Paris Observatory, which marked the beginning of the popularity of the magnificent park.

In the 18th century, philosophers, playwrights, thinkers and writers – Denis Dudro and Jean-Jacques Rousseau – loved to come here for inspiration, drawn by invisible secrets, clothed in green, geometrically regular landscapes.

Luxembourg Palace

In 1615, construction of a castle began in the garden, which lasted until 1631, and the project was carried out by Salomon de Brosses, a mannerist, hereditary architect with big influence in France of the 17th century. But for the interior decoration of the chambers, Maria invited her favorite painter, Peter Paul Rubens.

She was fascinated by the master’s brush - how inimitably realistic the Fleming conveyed movement on his canvases and created gentle and sensual female images. With equal skill he succeeded in portraits, landscapes, and large-scale works on religious and mythological themes.

At the request of the queen, Rubens painted 24 paintings for the gallery of the Luxembourg Palace, located on the second floor (now the Senate sits here). This large cycle took place from 1622 to 1625, and it depicts all the main milestones in the life of his crowned patroness, from the blessing of the gods of her parents for the birth of the desired child, to the reconciliation of Mary with Louis after several years of misunderstanding.

At that time, no one knew that the monarch, vested with unlimited power, after many years of wandering, would be forced to live out her life in poverty and loneliness, finding her final refuge in Rubens’ house on Flower Lane in Cologne.

Now the paintings of the brilliant artist are exhibited on the 2nd floor of the Louvre in room No. 18 in the Richelieu Gallery.

As time went, characters changed. In 1782, Louis XVIII decided to expand the Luxembourg Palace, sacrificing six hectares of land, but when the revolution broke out, the seizure of the adjacent church properties allowed the garden to be restored to its former expanses.

The castle retained its status as a royal residence until 1789, but already in 1791 it was declared the State Palace, where the revolutionary government, the Directory, soon settled. In 1794, the palazzo also became a prison, which housed 800 prisoners. Among them was Georges Danton, one of the founders of the First French Republic.

In 1815, the House of Peers settled here, and in 1879 the Senate occupied the building, remaining there to this day.

With the arrival of Napoleon III in 1865, further changes took place - the integrity of the territory was violated by the appearance of buildings in the southern and eastern parts green oasis, as well as Auguste Comte Street. In the process, the tree nursery that once inspired Guy de Maupassant and the botanical garden were damaged. Although Parisians tried to protest against the vandalism in a petition signed by over 12,000 people, it did not bring a positive result.

Royal Avenue among the linden trees

Walking along the winding paths, you want to turn into a secluded corner to dream about the past from the shade of branchy trees. In fantasies, romantic summer evenings come to life, when the queen admired the beautiful fountains and inhaled the aroma of blooming linden trees. Or I watched the fading nature in the fall, while simultaneously thinking about the next royal decree.

Today in the garden we are surrounded by many marble sculptures and monuments, but this is a relatively new decoration - they appeared in XIX century under King Louis Philippe. There are scenes from mythology and sculptures of crowned women, and their characters are clearly and unmistakably read in the stone.

Although Marie de Medici was the first to inhabit the chambers of the Luxembourg Palace, among the crowned statues we will see the first wife of King Henry IV, whom he was forced to divorce due to the lack of heirs. Marguerite de Valois, known as Queen Margot, is thinking about something and looks a bit like an ancient Greek goddess.

But the second one, she is Henry’s last wife, is the complete opposite of her. Being a very serious lady, even now Maria looks solid, without the slightest hint of affectation - a stern look from top to bottom, in her hand a rod, as a symbol of power.

You will also meet Mary Stuart, recognizing her by her proud posture and confident gaze. Although she did not remain queen for long, being the wife of the sickly King Francis II (1559-1560), and after his death she returned to Scotland, she was also honored to be in the company of the other 20 statues of famous ladies of France.

Other French queens: Bertrade of Laon, Anne of Austria, Saint Bathilde, Margaret of Provence, Anne of Brittany, Blanche of Castile, Clotilde of Burgundy.

Queens of Navarre: Marguerite de Valois and Jeanne d'Albret.
The Queen Consort of Spain is Marie Louise d'Orléans.
Queens of England - Matilda of Flanders and Mary of Anjou, who took the place of the sculpture of Joan of Arc.
Regents of France - Louise of Savoy and Anne de Beaujeu.
Duchess of Orleans Valentina Visconti.
Saint Genevieve of Paris.
The legendary symbol of Toulouse is Clémence Isor.
Praised by Petrarch in many sonnets, his beloved Laura de Noves.

What do the sculptures whisper about?

The sleep of the proud queens is diluted by the statues of the Luxembourg Gardens, depicting scenes of the “everyday life” of ancient maidens and gods, as well as sculptures and monuments from classics to surrealism.

Next to the palace building there is a nude “Woman with Apples” created by Jean Terzieff. There is also a miniature copy of the Statue of Liberty (“Liberty Enlightening the World”) by Auguste Bartholdi. Unlike its 46-meter and 30-ton sister, presented to America for its hundredth year of independence, this one does not exceed 2 meters.

In 2011, someone damaged it at night by knocking off the hand holding the torch, and therefore, after two years of restoration, the statue was moved to a more secure area.

There are four Little Liberties left in Paris, and the remaining three are on Swan Island in the middle of the Seine, on a barge moored nearby and in the Museum of Arts and Crafts.

The Luxembourg Gardens are also decorated with monuments to such famous people, like: singer and critic Charles Baudelaire, poet and literary impressionist Paul Verlaine, founder of the psychological novel - Stendhal, realist prose writer Gustave Flaubert.

Pay attention to the creator of the biographical method in literature - Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve, the Rococo painter - Antoine Watteau, the romantic painter - Engen Delacroix and the composer, author of numerous operas - Jules Massenet. The monument to the surrealist poet Paul Eluard, made in the appropriate manner by the avant-garde sculptor Ossip Zadkine, has an unusual appearance.

You will be pleased to meet Chopin and Beethoven, Paul Verlaine, Henri Murget and the writer George Sand. There are also monuments to political figures: Pierre Guillaume and Mendes-France, as well as the engineer-inventor and physicist Edouard Branly.

Walking through the azure fields, you get the impression that you are constantly moving from one era to another, as if you are traveling through worlds. This feeling appears partly thanks to sculptures from ancient Greek mythologies.

This is Theseus at the time of the battle with the minotaur, and the satyr Silenus. Suddenly, Hercules appears before the audience, trying to turn the course of the river Alpheus and Ario with a dolphin. There are also many sculptures of animals in the park, frozen in graceful poses, created by the sculptor Auguste Cain.

Fountains of the Luxembourg Gardens

Numerous tourists and local residents What attracts people to such an exquisite place with open spaces and secluded nooks is the opportunity to sit by one of the fountains with ponds.

To the west of the palace you can find one of them, dedicated to the graphic artist and painter Eugene Delacroix with his bust in the middle of a composition with allegorical statues. It was sculpted in bronze by Jules Dalot in 1890.

Going south, you will see the Observatory garden with a fountain, where the main composition is the Earth, held by four female figures symbolizing America, Africa, Asia and Europe. The work is called: “Four Directions of the World.” Our planet is located inside a hollow air sphere surrounded by a ring on which the signs of the zodiac are located one after another.

Under every girl from water element a pair of Neptune's sea horses burst out, and next to them fish, releasing jets of water in response to those sent in their direction by turtles located at the opposite end of the pool.

Four sculptors worked on the fountain: Louis Villemot, Pierre Legrain, Emmanuel Fremy and Jean-Baptis Carpeaux.

In the center of the park, the large octagonal pond Grand Bassin attracts visitors. It is especially interesting for children who love to sail boats on the water.

By the way, if you don’t have your own, there is a selection of models nearby that you can rent.

Joe Dassin did not forget to mention this entertainment in his song, continuing to suffer from love:

Where this child goes, I once passed...
He follows almost the tracks left by me...
My boats are still swaying on the waves of the pool...
Although the years have died,
The memories are alive...

Another day without love
Another day of life...
A rainy day that's fading away
Rainy day away from you...

But the most famous is the Medici Fountain in the Luxembourg Gardens. It became the way we see it in 1862. Moreover, it had to be moved 30 m to extend Medici Avenue.

An adjoining pond appeared, 50 m long, into which several species of fish were released, and now there are even catfish there. The water surface, like a mirror, reflects the hanging garlands of ivy.

It is here that visitors come, wanting to escape the summer heat in the coolness of the chestnut alleys, and at the same time admire the sculptural sketch that captures the touching moment of the meeting of the nymph Galatea with her beloved shepherd Atys, over whom the jealous Cyclops Polyphemus looms. This architectonics also appeared later, and the authorship belongs to the sculptor Otten.

Once demolished, the statues of the Seine and Rhone returned to their places, and the coats of arms of France and the Medici family were restored. And if you go around this fountain, you can see another one - “Leda and the Swan”, where the central part is occupied by a beautiful bas-relief.

The museum that Hemingway fell in love with

On the side of the orangery in the wing of the Luxembourg Palace, the first public museum was opened in 1750, where everyone could see an exhibition of royal paintings. And in 1818, it became the first European museum of modern art, where artists submitted their works to the public.

In 1871, Andre Gilles was appointed its manager, the same illustrator who became famous for his cartoons, often published in Parisian newspapers, as well as for the poster for the tavern in Montmartre, “The Agile Rabbit.” Under his leadership, the most talented artists and sculptors began to exhibit their own works here, which was the reason for awarding the institution the title of State Museum of Contemporary Art in 1937.

Ernest Hemingway, who lived nearby in the 1920s, was unable to pass by the opening day. In his book “A Holiday that is Always with You,” he mentions that he tried to choose the road in such a way as to walk through the Luxembourg Gardens and turn into the museum for the paintings of the impressionists Monet and Manet, as well as the post-impressionist Cézanne.

In 1986, most of the collections were transferred to the museum, freeing up space for thematic exhibitions, which change periodically. You can see them every day, except December 25, on Monday and Friday: 10:00-21:30, and on other days until 19:00.

Leisure in the recreation area

In addition to launching boats in this paradise There are also other entertainments. For example, you can ride on an old carousel, play on a children's playground with lots of slides and swings, or ride on a pony or carriage. There are even courts for playing basketball, bocce, tennis and its predecessor, jeu de paume. Those who prefer to have a more relaxed time can arrange a chess competition with local grandmasters.

Visit the music pavilion, where he often plays live music. The outer wall of the building is used to display the works of photographers, so that in one place you can enjoy both beautiful musical works, and receive contemplative and aesthetic pleasure.

Be sure to visit the Guignol puppet theater with Petrushka in the title role. It is open from 11 to 15:30, although not every day, so check the schedule of performances in advance. Entrance costs 6 euros.

Plants around the Medici Palace

Luxembourg Gardens (photo)

Photo gallery Luxembourg Gardens in Paris

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Paris - amazing city, filled with beautiful buildings and parks. Famous park The Tuileries can be called the most famous in the city. But the beautiful Luxembourg Gardens are perhaps the most favorite place not only for Parisians themselves, but also for guests of the city. It’s not for nothing that Hugo and Balzac even mentioned him in their works.

Location

The Luxembourg Gardens are located on the left bank of the Seine. The Sorbonne University and the Latin Quarter are located nearby. There are always a lot of students on its lawns finishing their assignments, and mothers and grandmothers stroll along the alleys of the park with their kids. The park always has a calm and peaceful atmosphere; there are always a lot of people here. The garden is an oasis of peace and quiet amid the bustle of Paris. Joe Dassin very accurately conveyed the atmosphere of the park in his song. Since its foundation, the Luxembourg Garden has become a favorite place for Parisians of all ages. Years and centuries pass, and the alleys of the park are still crowded with people.

History of the garden

Like any famous landmark, the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris has its own history. The beautiful park appeared thanks to the whim of Marie de Medici. It was she who gave the order to lay out the garden in 1611. This event occurred shortly after the death of her husband Henry IV, who was stabbed to death by a religious fanatic. Maria de Medici was crowned, at her enormous request, literally the day before the unfortunate event. As a result, she changed her faith for the sake of the French throne. Overnight, she became regent under her son, gaining unlimited power.

Marie de Medici grew up in beautiful Florence, so Paris seemed incredibly gloomy and cold to her. Having received power, she immediately gave orders for the arrangement of a beautiful park and palace that would remind her of what she was used to in Florence. For this purpose, Maria de Medici acquired the former estate of the then deceased Duke of Pinay, who was a representative of the Luxembourg family. It is for this reason that the castle and park got their name. Thus, the duke's surname was immortalized and gained worldwide fame. If the Luxmeboug Garden had not been laid out on the territory of his estate, it is unlikely that anyone would have remembered his name even after a hundred years.

Initially, the park was planned to be planted big amount trees, arrange many ponds and create numerous flower beds. For all this it was necessary to have water, so an aqueduct was built. Much that was conceived and brought to life in that era has survived even to this day.

The palace was built within fifteen years. To this day it appears before us in the form of an openwork Tuscan castle. During the construction work, all the wishes of Maria Medici, who wanted to get a palace that reminded her of her native Florence, were fulfilled.

Fountains of the Luxembourg Gardens

It is worth noting that the main objects of the garden are numerous bodies of water. And at one time a large central fountain was planned as the center of the park composition; it remains the main place in the park to this day. The pond is surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped ramp with terraces of flowers.

The most famous and romantic fountain of the garden, called the Medici, has even survived to this day. The reservoir was built by Salomon Debros (architect of the palace) in 1624. On the other side of the complex there is a bas-relief - Leda and the Swan. And the front part of the fountain itself looks more like a pond in which fish live.

In addition, there is an observatory fountain in the garden, which was created by several architects at once. The center of the entire composition is four girls, on whose shoulders the earthly sphere rests. The figures of women represent the four continents on Earth. But Australia was deliberately not included in the composition, because, in the opinion of the authors, it would have violated all the harmony.

The park, which had not yet been fully developed, was already very popular among the residents of Paris in the seventeenth century. In general, the garden has experienced the most different times. After the Great French Revolution, noble prisoners walked around it, and the palace itself became an elite prison. It was during this period that the park area acquired its current size, since the revolutionaries annexed the lands of the neighboring monastery. Currently, the Luxembourg Gardens cover an area of about 26 hectares.

The park was opened to the public only in the eighteenth century. Celebrities such as Denis Diderot and Jean-Jacques Rousseau loved to stroll along its alleys.

Garden and celebrities

It is worth noting that the park has seen many celebrities on its territory throughout its history. And its landscapes are depicted in the works of poets and artists. This is what Joe Dassin sings about in one of his songs. The Luxembourg Gardens in general was a place of inspiration for many creative people, among whom were not only the French, but also Russian writers and poets: Joseph Brodsky, Anna Akhmatova, Maria Tsvetaeva.

The garden remained forever captured in the works of David and Delacroix, George Sand, Hugo, Balzac, Hemingway.

And now on the Russian stage you can see a lyrical comedy based on the play by Lev and Alexander Shargorodsky “The Garden of Luxembourg”. BDT - Bolshoi Drama Theater named after G. A. Tovstonogov - timed the performance to coincide with the 85th anniversary of G. A. Shtil, People's Artist of Russia.

Luxembourg Palace

Speaking about the park, it is impossible not to mention the famous palace of the same name, built by Maria de Medici. True, its building was rebuilt several times, but still it has retained its lightness and airiness to this day. At one time, Maria de Medici commissioned the famous artist Rubens for 21 canvases for the new palace, which reflected scenes from her life, as well as three of her own portraits. Currently, the paintings are kept in the Louvre.

Maria de Medici was not able to enjoy her creation for long. Soon after the completion of construction, she was expelled from Paris by her own son, Louis XIII, tired of his mother’s intrigues. At that time, he had great confidence in an equally intriguing prime minister known as Cardinal Richelieu. Maria de Medici wandered around Europe for more than ten years, after which she settled completely alone in Cologne, in the house of her beloved artist Rubens, who had already died by that time.

Meanwhile, life was in full swing at the Luxembourg Palace. Another son of the queen, Gaston d'Orleans, and his daughter (Duchess de Montpensier) settled within its walls. Until the revolution of 1789, the palace remained royal. And in 1791 the building was declared state. It housed the Directory, then the House of Peers and the Senate.

Park sculptures

The Luxembourg Garden (photo given in the article) is decorated with numerous sculptures. Near the palace building there is “Woman with Apples”. And very close by you can see marble statues of the most famous French queens, which appeared here in the nineteenth century.

The garden was also decorated with sculptures by Paul Varlain, Charles Baudelaire, Gustave Flaubert, Stendhal, Massenet, Eugene Delacroix and Antoine Watteau. In general, throughout the park there are a lot of stone and bronze sculptures that appeared here in different periods. There are 106 of them in total.

In addition, the garden is famous for its beautiful flower beds and green terraces.

Greenhouses and orangery

On the territory of the garden there are a number of buildings, which include greenhouses and a greenhouse. Their presence is simply necessary, since gardeners change the plants in each flowerbed three times a year. The seedlings are cultivated in a greenhouse, and the flowers then fall into flower beds. In total, 180 varieties of plants are propagated in the greenhouse and greenhouses, including tropical forms. IN summer time they feature temporary exhibitions for tourists.

Luxembourg Gardens: reviews

According to tourists, this is one of those places that are definitely worth visiting in Paris. Numerous mentions of the park in Dumas’ book about the Three Musketeers and Joe Dassin’s song will intrigue anyone, so you need to see the legendary garden with your own eyes. This extraordinary place amazingly brings together representatives of all generations on its territory: students, mothers with children, elderly people, athletes on a jog.

The park can safely be called amazing beautiful place. Only the French could create such splendor and skillfully maintain it for many years. When you get to its alleys, you simply don’t have time to admire the beauty architectural complexes, fountains, flower beds and palm trees. The Luxembourg Garden amazes not only with its beauty, but also with its cleanliness, despite big number visitors every day. This amazing place It's really impossible not to love. A beautiful garden puts you in a lyrical mood. It’s not for nothing that poets’ poems were born while walking along its alleys.

The Luxembourg Gardens are open to the public; entry to its territory is completely free, as is visiting all the sights. The only place, which is currently impossible to get to, is the Luxembourg Palace. The Senate is located in its building, and therefore entry to tourists and other visitors is closed. Once a month, excursions are organized, which can only be attended by appointment, which is done for safety reasons.

Instead of an afterword

The Luxembourg Garden can be called one of the most romantic places Paris. Shady alleys, ponds and fountains, stunning sculptures and beautiful palace- all this is worth dedicating the whole day to a walk, enjoying the beauty of the park.

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