Library - Former Hôtel de la Marine and Foreign Affairs Gallery

FICHE_INFO_SIMPLE_LIBELLE_DESTINATION

Bibliothèque – Ancien Hôtel de la Marine et Galerie des Affaires étrangères

5 rue de l'Indépendance Américaine

78000

Versailles

GPS coordinates

Latitude : 48.802062

Longitude : 2.120941

Contact

Library - Former Hôtel de la Marine and Foreign Affairs Gallery

5 rue de l'Indépendance Américaine

78000

Versailles

Phone : +33 1 39 07 13 20

"Library - Former Hôtel de la Marine and Foreign Affairs Gallery"

Presentation

Built in 1761-1762 according to the wishes of the duke of Choiseul, then Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, this mansion was meant to house the archives and departments of Foreign Affairs and the Navy. Here were negotiated the Treaty of Versailles and Paris which ended the 1783 american war of Independence.

The architect J.-B. Berthier adopted the architectural concept of flat brick arches to protect the building from fire hazards. Also, because of the expected constant comings and goings of diplomats, a ceremonial gallery was designed and decorated to create a brilliant picture of French diplomacy. The mansion is now occupied by the municipal library. Its sumptuous gallery, with its well preserved decor, is open to visitors. Now a library, the building has lost none of its former charm.

Open for guided tours only