Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine , paris , france
In the midst of the architectural treasure-trove that is the Cite de L’Architecture et du Patrimoine (Museum of French Architecture and Monuments, roughly) you can’t help but note an arresting sculpture of a smiling angel mounted on one of the great walls. Leaning slightly towards the viewer, this angel catches your eye, inevitably engaging you. Who is she? Indeed, she steals your heart once you learn her story. This angel is a true-to-original plaster cast made by the then-groundbreaking French architect, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the uber-restorer of French-things-medieval and one of the early persuasive voices for the importance of preserving the enormous patrimony of French architecture through the ages.
In the midst of the architectural treasure-trove that is the Cite de L’Architecture et du Patrimoine (Museum of French Architecture and Monuments, roughly) you can’t help but note an arresting sculpture of a smiling angel mounted on one of the great walls. Leaning slightly towards the viewer, this angel catches your eye, inevitably engaging you. Who is she? Indeed, she steals your heart once you learn her story. This angel is a true-to-original plaster cast made by the then-groundbreaking French architect, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, the uber-restorer of French-things-medieval and one of the early persuasive voices for the importance of preserving the enormous patrimony of French architecture through the ages.
History of Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine , paris , france :
The Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine is a museum of architecture located in the Palais de Chaillot at 1, Place du Trocadéro, Paris, France. It is open daily except Tuesday; an admission fee is charged. The nearest Paris Métro stop is Trocadéro on Line 6 and Line 9.
The museum opened in 2007, combining existing and new collections. It contains about 8,000 m² of permanent exhibit space, with a further 1,830 m² for temporary exhibits, and a 1,700 m² architectural library. Its principal permanent exhibit is the Musée des Monuments Français (Museum of French Monuments), which contains three galleries:
Galerie des Moulages - casts of French architecture from the 12th to 18th centuries.
Galerie des Peintures Murales et des Vitraux (wall paintings and stained-glass windows), reproducing outstanding works from historic monuments.
Galerie Moderne et Contemporaine - French and international architecture from 1850 to the present.
The museum also houses the Institut Français d'Architecture (French Institute of Architecture), which presents temporary exhibits in addition to maintaining an extensive library and archives; and the École de Chaillot (School of Chaillot), which grants post-graduate degrees in specialized aspects of architecture such as restoration and urban design.
Smiling Angel of Reims in Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine , paris , france:
The angel is a perfect cast of the "Smiling Angel of Reims" the beloved symbol of that glorious gothic Reims Cathedral of Notre Dame…. set in the heart of Reims in the center of the Champagne region within an hour of Paris. Thanks to this plaster cast angel, it was possible to restore the original entirely and with its beauty intact, along with much of the magnificent Cathedral which was virtually leveled by Nazi bombing campaigns in World War II. And through the ages Reims Cathedral has been home to the coronations of the Kings of France through the centuries and is one of the most important gothic cathedrals in France.
video Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine , paris , france
Descripion of Cité de l'Architecture et du Patrimoine , paris , france
the Cite de L’Architecture et du Patrimoine, opened in September 2008 in the Trocadero complex, is no everyday museum. It is a repository for a splendidly unique walk through the history of French architectural treasures, but, is also a vibrant center for exhibitions that challenge, consider and reconsider the nature of modern French cities and communal life. A very popular past exhibition invited noted modern architects, a dream team of international visionaries, to re-imagine Paris as a green city that incorporated its outlying quarters and communities in radical ways. The visions were diverse and provocative. Shows like this are typically accompanied by numerous symposia and opportunities for visitors to weigh in with feedback.
The café has killer views over the Seine to the Eiffel Tower, making for perfect contemplation of one of France’s most famed patrimonial treasures over a pot of tea or coffee, a sandwich or some pastry. There is, of course, an excellent bookshop within the museum as well. Whether you have an impassioned interest in architecture and history, contemporary city planning or simply a more targeted love for the gothic be assured that a visit to this extraordinary museum will be so very well worth your visit.