“The Horseshoe Staircase was built at the request of Louis XIII between 1632 and 1634 and is credited to the architect Jean Androuet du Cerceau. With its atypical shape... [it] quickly became an architectural benchmark imitated throughout Europe. From the reign of Louis XIV onwards, the staircase was used as a grandiose backdrop to greet princesses arriving for marriage to a son of France (the Duchess of Burgundy in 1697, Marie Leszczynska in 1725, Helene of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1837). As the scene of Napoleon's famous farewell to his guard on 20th April 1814, the Horseshoe Staircase has gained legendary status and become emblematic of Fontainebleau.” That's a quote from the Château de Fontainebleau web site.
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As usual, excellent photos. My favorites are #2 and #4.
ReplyDeleteBy #4, I meant the big central phoo.
DeleteThanks to your comment, I opened my blog a minute ago and noticed that the photos wouldn't enlarge when I clicked on them. It was a blogger bug, and I've fixed it now. I guess I should give the large central photo a number... Let's call it #0.
DeletePhoto #0 let’s you detail the unusual and interesting horseshoe shape of the staircase. Those stupid potted plants have no place right there and should be removed! They break the integrity of the staircase, if you see what I mean?
DeleteI agree with you, CHM about the potted plants. I have very good memories of seeing Fontainebleau with Ken.
Deletechm, My first thought too was that those potted trees shouldn’t be there.
DeleteAgreed, they block he end of the stairs, the landings!
DeleteThe stairs were designed as a stage set to impress! And the idea of Louis XIII, clever guy.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos, as always. You were at Fontainebleau on a very sunny day. There is a similar horseshoe staircase with smaller steps (that was actually designed for horses) in the Cour Lefuel of the Louvre. The last time I was there, there was no access but you could see it through a window. I wonder which staircase was built first?
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of the Cour Lefuel du Louvre before. The horseshoe staircase there was built in the 19th century. The one at Fontainebleau dates back to the 17th.
DeleteI thought of Fontainebleau when you showed the castle two days ago—great to see all of these.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures, Ken. I’ve been there twice and would happily go again tomorrow. There is so much detail to see as well as the big obvious features.
ReplyDeleteI researched the Chrissoup’s comment three days ago about a horseshoe staircase in the Cévenes. I think it is at Maison Rouge at Saint-Jean-du-Gard.
ReplyDeleteIt is a local museum about silk industry.
When I visited Fontainebleau with my parents in 1967, the horseshoe staircase was uppermost in my Mother's mind and we heard about it way before we saw it! It wasn't a very sunny. Our photos show a lot of clouds and grey-blue sky behind them as I recall. We walked around the lake and really enjoyed ourselves!
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