| Unit 7: Paris of Louis XIV (c. 16431715 A.D.)
As you will learn in this unit, after some initial unrest at the beginning of his reign, Louis XIV, The Sun King, enjoyed a long and fruitful absolutist monarchy that allowed him to add significantly to the architectural glory of Paris .
During Louis XIV's minority, building projects within Paris were initiated by his prime minister, Cardinal Mazarin, which included additions to the Louvre and the Tuileries. Mazarin also ordered the construction of two new royal pavilions at Vincennes and started La Salpetriere, a general hospital to house the mentally ill, the crippled, and other social outcasts. After his death, Mazarin left a bequest for the establishment of a college for students from the provinces, the Collège des Quatre Nations.
After Mazarin's death, the person who most influenced Louis XIV's building policy was Jean-Baptiste Colbert, director of finance, who later became superintendent of buildings and also of commerce. Colbert felt that Paris was an essential part of Louis' glory, and persuaded the king to invest money and attention in the city's improvement. Projects included continued expansion of the Louvre's East and South Wings, renovating the gardens at the Tuileries, building an observatory, and razing the walls built by Charles V to make way for boulevards. Old walls and city gates were replaced by boundary markers and triumphal arches. The Hotel des Invalides was begun in 1670 to provide refuge for the many veterans of Louis' wars.
In 1682, Louis XIV moved his court to Versailles , which became a showpiece of French art and architecture. However, his presence was reflected in Paris in the new public statues of the king and the royal squares to display them, including Place des Victoires and Place Louis-le-Grand (Vendome), as well as the new Pont Royal.
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