Built in the 18th century by Ange-Jacques Gabriel, chief architect of King Louis XV, on the Place de la Concorde, the Hôtel de la Marine is among the grandest neoclassical buildings in Paris. Until 2015 it was the headquarters of the French navy (hence its name) but on 12 June, after a major restoration campaign, the Centre des Monuments Nationaux opened parts of the building – including the stately 19th-century reception rooms – up to visitors for the first time. Later this year, the former tapestry storerooms will become a new home for the Al Thani Collection of artworks from ancient times to the present. Find out more from the Hôtel de la Marine’s website.
Preview below | View Apollo’s Art Diary here
The Salon des Amiraux and the Salon d’Honneur. Photo: Ambroise Tézenas; © Centre des Monuments Nationaux
The Escalier d’Honneur. Photo: Ambroise Tézenas; © Centre des Monuments Nationaux
Bedroom of Madame de Ville d’Avray. Photo: Didier Plowy; © Centre des Monuments Nationaux