The Elysee Palace (the residence of the French president)
In 1718, a mansion designed by architect Armand-Claude Mollet was built for Count d'Evreux in an area which was practically desolate at the time. In 1753, the mansion was bought by Marquise de Pompadour (1721-1764), who left it by will to the crown and for several years after her death the mansion was the residence of foreign ambassadors. In 1773, the new owner, Nicolas Beaujon, a financier and banker to the court, substantially expanded the mansion by adding a pavilion to its eastern end, where Empress Marie Louise later had her boudoir. After the reconstruction the mansion was transformed into a palace.
During the French Revolution, the palace was nationalised and for several months it housed a print shop for printing legislative documents.
In 1805, Marshal Murat bought the palace and after its renovation threw spectacular parties and balls there. On becoming King of Naples in 1808, Murat let Napoleon I have the palace, which became known as the Elysee-Napoleon.
When the allied troops entered Paris in 1814, the palace served as the residence of Russia's Emperor Alexander I from April 12 until June 2.
In 1815, Emperor Napoleon I stayed a few days in the palace. There, on June 22, he signed his second and final abdication from the throne. After the Battle of Waterloo, during the second occupation of France by allied forces, Alexander I again stayed in the palace – this time for about three months beginning from July 10, 1815.
Subsequently, French kings allowed guests to use the palace. From June 1 to 11, 1867, Russian Emperor Alexander II, Empress Maria and their two sons, Alexander (future Emperor Alexander III) and Vladimir, stayed in the palace at the invitation of French Emperor Napoleon III to visit the World Exposition in Paris.
Since 1873, the Elysee Palace has been the official residence of French presidents.
The palace was built in keeping with the residential plan for cities that was generally accepted by the French aristocracy in the 18th century. The palace has a yard of honour in front of the facade and a garden park with alleys, parterres and fountains behind the palace. The yard of honour, which is separated from Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honore by a high stone wall, can be entered into through the massive central entrance gate. The garden park can be entered through the ceremonial Cock Gate, overlooking Avenue du Gabriel on the side of Champs-Elysees. Since the beginning of the Third Republic (1870), state protocol has required that the Cock Gate only open for letting the president ceremonially pass to the Elysee Palace after his inauguration.
As a rule, French presidents stay permanently at the palace with their families.
The Elysee Palace has been the venue of Russian-French and Soviet-French summits many times since the late 19th century.
