A library and a theater at the Château de Fontainebleau !!! 

I like to have memories and nowdays even more. I remember Fontainebleau castle as it was in the Seine et Marne dept 77 that my dear late wife Martine, took me first to show me her department/region back in 1990. We have come here ever since,and it is one of my favorite castles been friend of the association that helps protect its heritage. Their office is on your left once entering the main entrance to the castle fyi. I have written many posts on it before, so peruse my blog and see beauty before your eyes. These are new pictures to my blog thanks to my vast cd rom vault, Of course, this is also in the Île de France region of my belle France, Therefore, here is my take on a library and a theater at the Château de Fontainebleau !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I

The Théâtre Imperial in the Château de Fontainebleau considered the residence of the Kings of France and the theater with important political events, it welcomed many sovereigns over the centuries. The influence of its successive royal tenants made this castle a whole perfectly representative of architectural evolution during history. The theater was set up at the request of Napoleon III between 1853 and 1856 in order to replace the old comedy, dating from the 18C, and became obsolete. Install a modern 400 -seat room and all adjoining services. This theater is directly inspired by the small theater of Queen Marie-Antoinette in Versailles. It has also become a unique conservatory of decorative arts under the Second Empire.

Renovated and completed in April 2014, the first phase of work focused on the restoration of the auditorium, the vestibule and the Imperial Foyer. The second phase was aimed at restoring the stage and its machinery as well as the peripheral spaces and upper levels. The restoration programme focused on preserving original materials. Nearly 80% have been preserved, both decor and furniture. The théâtre imperial is now a unique museum dedicated to the performing and decorative arts of the Second Empire. The theatre and the Imperial Foyer have been open to the public since 2014. Additionally, since 2019, the public have been able to view the sets on the stage during the summer season. In the winter, the stage and adjoining salons will be accessible. It reveals the secrets of how a theatre operated in the Second Empire.

The official Château de Fontainebleau on the imperial theater : https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/become-a-patron-chateau-de-fontainebleau/completed-projects/the-imperial-theatre/

The Fontainebleau tourist office on the imperial theater : https://www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com/en/file/5000019/theatre-imperial-du-chateau-de-fontainebleau/

The Bibliothéque or library in the Château de Fontainebleau was first installed in the Saint-Saturnin Chapel in 1807, the palace library crossed more than four decades of existence in this singular space before undergoing a first move in 1851 to redeploy at the site of the prestigious Royal Librairie of the Renaissance, above the François Ier gallery. These first two arrangements have disappeared today. On the other hand, the last installation, initiated in 1858 by the librarian Jacques-Joseph Champollion-Figeac at the request of Napoleon III, is that which is still offered to our gaze in the Galerie de Diane. Some 20,000 volumes then took place in the sixteen library bodies, and placed between the doors and windows of the gallery, and in the two long low furniture in the central part. Four furniture placed in the salon du Roi de Rome or Rome King salon at the end of the gallery completed this set.

Initially made up of the funds of the Board of the State Council, the transfer of which was ordered by Napoleon I in 1806, the collections of the palatial library benefited from constant enrichments throughout the 19C. All disciplines (theology, case law, history, travel, literature, science and arts) were represented from the outset. Acquisitions, intended both to meet the requirements of the most scholarly and to meet the needs of different users, were characterized by a great variety: old books, specialized works, fashionable novels, picture books or newspapers .etc, Frequented until the end of the Second Empire by the thousands of residents of the palaces and guest personalities coming from various backgrounds, the palatial libraries gradually disappeared after 1870, with the court and the staff who depended on it. The Library is the only example that has subsistent, in an otherwise documented historical condition. Its quality of historical testimony as well as the richness of the collections which compose it give the library an exceptional status.

The official Château de Fontainebleau on its library : https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/fontainebleau-resources/documents/heritage-libraries/the-palace-library/

The official Château de Fontainebleau : https://www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com/fr/decouvrir-la-region/patrimoine/le-chateau-de-fontainebleau-grand-livre-de-lhistoire-de-france/le-chateau/

There you go folks, yes another jewel in my belle France, a must to visit, The Château de Fontainebleau ,is one of the wonders of our world ! The history of France, Europe, and the World was written from here, Again, hope you enjoy the post on a library and a theater at the Château de Fontainebleau !!! as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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