 |
| Courtyard and Garden, Carnavalet Museum, Paris - by Green Eye |
The Carnavalet Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of Paris from the its beginning as the city of Lutetia through the Renaissance, the French Revolution, and into the twentieth century. The Carnavalet Museum is located at 23 Rue de Sévigné, Paris, in the Marais, 4th Arrondisement.
In the courtyard, a courtly sculpture of Louis XIV, the Sun King, greets the visitor. Manicured formal gardens on a city scale surround the walkways. Netting covers the top portion of the building to protect the sculptures and the area below.
 |
| Louis XIV, the Sun King, Carnavalet Museum by DG Hudson |
The museum occupies two neighboring mansions, the Hôtel Carnavalet, built in 1548, and the former Hôtel Le Peletier de Saint Fargeau. (Hôtel = House or Residence)
Below is shown a bust of Camille Desmoulins (March 2, 1760 – April 5, 1794), an associate of M. Robespierre, of revolutionary fame.
 |
| Camille Desmoulins in Musee Carnavalet, Paris by DG Hudson |
Walking through the museum, I was reminded of the upheavals that took place during the French Revolution. It was a dangerous time to be in France.
Certain rooms in the Carnavalet Museum have an intimate feel due to the lighting, which protects antique documents and fabrics in display cases. The rooms retain the decoration of the period, with strong jewel colours and gilding. Chandeliers have replaced candlelight.
Commercial signage hangs near the entranceway, metal custom signs that indicated your type of business. Small models show an aerial view of Paris in the 1700s. Below is a model of the Bastille before its demise on July 14, 1789.
 |
| La Bastille Model -fortress, arsenal and prison, by DG Hudson |
The Carnavalet Museum is near the trendy rue des Francs-Bourgeois and Place des Vosges, a great meeting place if you need a break from the walking. There are other museums in the area tucked in neatly along the older two-lane streets in the Marais. We visited on the weekend, when lots of people comb these side streets.
***
Links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnavalet_Museum
http://www.parisdigest.com/museums/museecarnavalet.htm
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/219315/French-Revolution
***
Photos taken in Paris, France by DG Hudson unless otherwise noted. The Carnavalet Museum can be found on one of the side streets in the Marais.
****
Comments are welcome. Do you like history? Domestic or world?
