Located in the 6th district of Paris, to the north of the eponymous garden, since 1799 the Luxembourg Palace has been the seat of the French Senate. Classified as an historic monument, it was built in the course of the seventeenth century on the remains of a building of the sixteenth century, and at the request of Marie de Medici then regent.
Designed by architect Salomon de Brosse, it became the property of the Orléans family in the early 18th century, before the opening in 1750 of the Royal Palace Gallery of Luxembourg. Prison under the Terror, the building then sees the installation of the Conservative Senate and the First Consul, Napoleon Bonaparte.
The site has a typical architecture of French castles like Verneuil-en-Halatte, the same architect. It is also inspired by the Pitti Palace in Florence, the queen wishing at the time to find a little of his country. In the hemicycle, one can admire behind the platform of the president, seven monumental statues representing Turgot, D'Aguesseau, Michel of the Hospital, Colbert, Mathieu Mole, Malesherbes, and Jean-Etienne-Marie Portalis. Two other statues of St. Louis and Charlemagne can also be seen at both ends of the diameter.
The Luxembourg Palace unveils several other exceptional rooms like the Guest Book. Vaulted room on the ground floor converted in the first half of the nineteenth century, it reveals beautiful gilded woodwork and paintings. Opened during the Heritage Days, the chapel is also interesting, as is the library with its ceiling painted by Eugène Delacroix and inspired by the song IV of Dante's Inferno.
The staircase of honor made in the nineteenth century is also the success of the Luxembourg Palace, as the conference room with its ceiling cul-de-four representing great characters in the history of France.
