Château d'Haroué
Encyclopedia
The château de Craon, also known as the château d'Haroué or palais d'Haroué is a French château
located in a small valley in the centre of the village of Haroué
, in the Saintois, in the département of Meurthe-et-Moselle
and the région of Lorraine
. It was built between 1720 and 1732 by Germain Boffrand
during the period when Lorraine was independent of France, for Marc de Beauvau
, prince de Craon, viceroy of Tuscany
and constable of Lorraine.
Surprisingly, the architect had to integrate into his plans the four towers and moat of an older medieval château, a consideration for medieval buildings which was unusual for the classicist period. Le château's design also symbolises a year :
The decoration was largely entrusted to artists from Lorraine : Jean Lamour (1698–1771) for the gates, balconies and staircases, Pillement (1698–1771) for the painted decoartion of one of the towers, Barthélemy Guibal (1699–1757), sculptor of the fountains of place Stanislas
at Nancy, for the statuary. The park "à la française" was designed by Emilio Terry
.
It has since been lived in by the descendants of prince Marc.
The château was classified as a monument historique
in 1983.
Château
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
located in a small valley in the centre of the village of Haroué
Haroué
Haroué is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.-Historical Features:The Château de Haroué was constructed between 1720 and 1732 by Germain Boffrand for Prince Marc de Beauvau, Viceroy of Tuscany. The architect had to integrate into his plans the four towers and the...
, in the Saintois, in the département of Meurthe-et-Moselle
Meurthe-et-Moselle
Meurthe-et-Moselle is a department in the Lorraine region of France, named after the Meurthe and Moselle rivers.- History :Meurthe-et-Moselle was created in 1871 at the end of the Franco-Prussian War from the parts of the former departments of Moselle and Meurthe which remained French...
and the région of Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
. It was built between 1720 and 1732 by Germain Boffrand
Germain Boffrand
Germain Boffrand was one of the most gifted French architects of his generation. A pupil of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Germain Boffrand was one of the main creators of the precursor to Rococo called the style Régence, and in his interiors, of the Rococo itself...
during the period when Lorraine was independent of France, for Marc de Beauvau
Marc de Beauvau-Craon (1679-1754)
Marc de Beauvau Prince of Craon, Beauvau and of the Holy Roman Empire, grandee of Spain was a French nobleman....
, prince de Craon, viceroy of Tuscany
Tuscany
Tuscany is a region in Italy. It has an area of about 23,000 square kilometres and a population of about 3.75 million inhabitants. The regional capital is Florence ....
and constable of Lorraine.
Surprisingly, the architect had to integrate into his plans the four towers and moat of an older medieval château, a consideration for medieval buildings which was unusual for the classicist period. Le château's design also symbolises a year :
- 365 windows,
- 52 fireplaces,
- 12 towers (several included in the buildings),
- 4 bridges crossing the moat.
The decoration was largely entrusted to artists from Lorraine : Jean Lamour (1698–1771) for the gates, balconies and staircases, Pillement (1698–1771) for the painted decoartion of one of the towers, Barthélemy Guibal (1699–1757), sculptor of the fountains of place Stanislas
Place Stanislas
The Place Stanislas, known colloquially as the place Stan, is a large pedestrianized square in Nancy, Lorraine, France. Since 1983, the architectural ensemble comprising the Place Stanislas and the extension of its axis, the Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance, has been on the list of UNESCO...
at Nancy, for the statuary. The park "à la française" was designed by Emilio Terry
Emilio Terry
Jose Emilio Terry y Dorticos , known as Emilio Terry was a Cuban artist, interior designer, artist and landscape artist, best known for his career in France...
.
It has since been lived in by the descendants of prince Marc.
The château was classified as a monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
in 1983.