Musée des Plans-Reliefs
Encyclopedia
The Musée des Plans-Reliefs is a museum of military models located within the Hôtel des Invalides in the 7th arrondissement of Paris
, France
. It is open daily except the first Monday of each month; an admission fee is charged.
The museum dates to 1668 when François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
and minister of war to Louis XIV
, began a collection of three-dimensional models of fortified cities for military purposes, known as 'plans-relief
'. The models gave particular attention to the city fortifications and topographic features such as hills, harbors, etc. In 1700 Louis XIV installed the collection in the Louvre
. Initially the models were constructed in the field, by military engineer
s, but in 1743 two central workshops were established for their construction in Béthune
and Lille
. A large number of models were built during and after the War of the Austrian Succession
(1741-1748) to represent newly-captured sites. The collection was updated in 1754, but then fell into some disuse; the final models built under the Ancien Régime were those of Saint-Omer
(1758) and the fort Saint-Philippe aux Baléares (1759).
In 1774 the collection was nearly destroyed when its Louvre gallery was rededicated to paintings, but was in 1777 moved to the Hôtel des Invalides where it remains to this day. Under Napoleon, a new set of models was built for new conquests, including Luxembourg
(1802), La Spezia
(1811), Brest
(1811), and Cherbourg (1811-1813). Their production then continued until about 1870, when it drew to a close with the disappearance of fortifications bastionnées. The collection was declared a historical monument in 1927, and the museum established in 1943.
All told, some 260 plans-reliefs were created between 1668 and 1870, representing about 150 fortified sites. About 100 models are conserved today by this museum, of which about 15 are kept in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lille. At present, the museum displays 28 plans-reliefs of fortifications along the English Channel
, the Atlantic
and Mediterranean
coasts, and the Pyrenees
. It also contains presentations on construction and use of the plans-reliefs.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is open daily except the first Monday of each month; an admission fee is charged.
The museum dates to 1668 when François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
François-Michel le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois
François Michel Le Tellier, Marquis de Louvois was the French Secretary of State for War for a significant part of the reign of Louis XIV. Louvois and his father, Michel le Tellier, would increase the French Army to 400,000 soldiers, an army that would fight four wars between 1667 and 1713...
and minister of war to Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, began a collection of three-dimensional models of fortified cities for military purposes, known as 'plans-relief
Plan-relief
A plan-relief is a scale model of a landscape and buildings produced for military usage, made to visualise building projects on fortifications or campaigns surrounding fortified locations.-History:...
'. The models gave particular attention to the city fortifications and topographic features such as hills, harbors, etc. In 1700 Louis XIV installed the collection in the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
. Initially the models were constructed in the field, by military engineer
Military engineer
In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
s, but in 1743 two central workshops were established for their construction in Béthune
Béthune
Béthune is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department.-Geography:Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated South-East of Calais, West of Lille, and North of Paris.-Landmarks:...
and Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
. A large number of models were built during and after the War of the Austrian Succession
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
(1741-1748) to represent newly-captured sites. The collection was updated in 1754, but then fell into some disuse; the final models built under the Ancien Régime were those of Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer
Saint-Omer , a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais. The town is named after Saint Audomar, who brought Christianity to the area....
(1758) and the fort Saint-Philippe aux Baléares (1759).
In 1774 the collection was nearly destroyed when its Louvre gallery was rededicated to paintings, but was in 1777 moved to the Hôtel des Invalides where it remains to this day. Under Napoleon, a new set of models was built for new conquests, including Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
(1802), La Spezia
La Spezia
La Spezia , at the head of the Gulf of La Spezia in the Liguria region of northern Italy, is the capital city of the province of La Spezia. Located between Genoa and Pisa on the Ligurian Sea, it is one of the main Italian military and commercial harbours and hosts one of Italy's biggest military...
(1811), Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
(1811), and Cherbourg (1811-1813). Their production then continued until about 1870, when it drew to a close with the disappearance of fortifications bastionnées. The collection was declared a historical monument in 1927, and the museum established in 1943.
All told, some 260 plans-reliefs were created between 1668 and 1870, representing about 150 fortified sites. About 100 models are conserved today by this museum, of which about 15 are kept in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lille. At present, the museum displays 28 plans-reliefs of fortifications along the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coasts, and the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. It also contains presentations on construction and use of the plans-reliefs.