Located in the heart of seventeen thousand hectare forest, the palace of Fontainebleau was once one of the privileged residences of the sovereigns who ruled France. The love of the hunt made it into a regularly visited residence, and all of its occupants had their hearts set on improving it through new buildings or new decorations. This resulted in the present profusion of courtyards and buildings with different decorative and architectural styles. Only one tower remained of the original 12th-century castle. This tower was probably the location of the bedchamber of the kings. Almost eight centuries of French history was affected by this chateau - from 1137, the year of the coronation of Louis VII, to the fall of the Second Empire in 1870. It was in the Renaissance, however, that the castle underwent its most spectacular transformation. Francois I He built the entrance, the Ballroom and Saint Saturini Chapel.
English: A thirteen segment panoramic image of the...
Napoleon's farewell to the Imperial Guard in the C...
Château of Fontainebleau, bedroom of Napoleon IHe also constructed the buildings encircling the current White Horse Courtyard, and the Francois I Gallery to link the two groups of buildings. Under Henri IV, the palace became more of a king's house and the home of the dauphins. With Louis XV, the need to provide lodgings for the court led to the remodeling of the south wing of the White Horse courtyard and the construction of the Great Pavilion. He also is responsible for the installation of the King's Staircase. The kings of France in the 16th. Century has so many castles that it was normal practice for them to move from one another forcing workers to move everything possessed by the King and help him move into his new residence. Once the stay was over, all was packed back into the chests and the empty rooms returned to silence, perhaps for years. After the Revolution, Napoleon...