What are the secrets of the most fashionable landmark of the Enlightenment: Crazy creations of the architectural genius Desert de Retz

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Desert De Retz, created between 1774 and 1789 by Monsieur de Montville, was one of the most famous places of its time. A crazy mix of decorative pavilions and buildings with whimsical architectural elements made this place quite famous in its day. In order to see this miracle, all the mighty of this world came there. Today, unfortunately, it is difficult to imagine all the former glory of this estate and the example of perfection that was then Desert de Retz. Crazy creation of the genius of architecture and landscape design - Francois de Monville. François Racine de Montville was born in 1734. By the age of forty, he was already the owner of vast estates in Chambourcy on the edge of a 2000 hectare forest, which is located about 15 km west of Paris. As an 18th century French aristocrat with significant passive income from numerous estates in Normandy, Monville cared little about finances. He spent most of his free time learning new social skills and honing his many talents, which made him very popular in society and a welcome guest of the best aristocratic houses.

A handsome and charming man, Monville danced so well that not a single ball could do without him, he was always invited. He was an experienced rider, excelled in fencing, played the flute and harp, and was an excellent archer "no worse than an Indian." But really his talents have found their application precisely in architecture and landscape design.

The architectural virtuosity of Monville is fully manifested in the aforementioned estate, which the aristocrat bought in 1774. Monville named it Desert de Retz. On the vast territory of this estate with an area of 40 hectares, Monville erected almost two dozen structures, each of which represented different periods of world human history. There was a Chinese-style house, a dilapidated Gothic church, a dilapidated Greek temple, an Egyptian pyramid, a Tatar tent and an ice house.

The most famous landmark is the Broken Column House, so named because it had the shape of a destroyed classical column. Inside the truncated structure is a spiral staircase leading up to five floors with visitor rooms for Monville, although he himself preferred to stay in a much smaller Chinese house.

An eccentric aristocrat created a beautiful garden, planting rare species of plants and trees, various fragrant herbs and exotic flowers. A pond was dug in the garden on which the Island of Happiness was created. All this created an exquisite atmosphere of the estate and served as an example of the impeccable taste of the owner and creator. François Racine de Montville drew all the sketches of buildings and gardens himself. A young architect François Barbier was hired to carry out the direct work. The latter was exiled in disgrace after claiming to be the author of the Ice Pyramid and demanding a revision of his salary. Monville hired a simple designer and the work continued.

The project has been designed with the utmost care to maintain harmony and create an effect of perspective and discovery. Standing in one place, we see only one object. In this way, any visitor gets the impression of alternating revelations, and the space seems much larger than it really is. Only from the destroyed column, provided you enter and climb up, you can see a larger part of the property.

In the east of the estate, the Anglo-Chinese garden is the most beautiful and sophisticated part with pavilions and temples, precious tree species and an open theater. In the west, the agricultural section includes a home plot and dairy farm, more rustic groves, and an obelisk, hermitage, and a tomb.

At one time, Desert de Retz was visited by King Gustav III of Sweden, Marie Antoinette, Countess Barry, as well as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. One could visit the estate anonymously by purchasing a ticket.

When the revolution broke out in France, Monville sold Desert de Retz with the intention of fleeing the country, but did not leave. Perhaps the very rapidly changing political landscape during the revolution made him stay. In 1794, Monville was arrested and imprisoned after the Revolutionary Tribunal found the aristocrat guilty. He was released less than three months later, eight days after the execution of Maximilian Robespierre, which marked the end of the bloody terror. Monville's short stay in prison broke him both physically and mentally. He died three years later, at the age of 64, completely losing his health.

Desert de Retz passed from hand to hand. In the 1930s, the garden was abandoned and fell into complete disrepair. During this period, many buildings, primarily the Chinese House, collapsed. In 1965, most of all structures were nothing more than a heap of rubbish, the rest lay in ruins, the garden and flower beds were overgrown.

The Desert de Retz, with its buildings scattered throughout the park, was classified as a historical monument by decree of April 9, 1941. By decree of August 2, 1939, it was entered in the inventory registration. The garden was rediscovered in the 1950s by André Breton and his surrealist friends. Since the mid-1980s, Desert de Retz has undergone extensive restoration, as a result of which part of the landscape has returned to the state it was in the days of Monville. In particular, the Column House was thoroughly renovated. There are also some remarkable local trees, which are between 250 and 450 years old.

Much of what was on the estate was never restored. It is only at the stage of sketches. We have to restore the project based on fragments of old engravings. Only ruins remain of many structures. The Chinese pavilion has only a foundation. From the open theater - a rectangle on the ground and a Chinese bowler hat in the corner. From the temple of peace - two melancholic columns. Most of the former splendor has become just a memory …

If you admire the architecture of bygone eras, read our article and find out what secrets Malbork Castle keeps, and why it is considered one of a kind.