Step by step in Brienne---lelleele----ChâteauChâteauChâteau
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Crédits Photos: Kenneth Graham – Sonia Pereira - Pascal Bourguignon – Jean Marc Livet Brienne is just 3 hours to the east of Paris. It is on the doorstep of the Fôret d’Orient Regional Nature Park. If you love history, if you want to try delicious local produce or you want the choice of a wide range of leisure activities then this is the town for you. The Counts of Brienne were one of the most powerful feudal families in Medieval France. They were Crusaders and one count even became king of Jerusalem in the C13th. The Lomenies, last holders of the title, played an important role in C18th French politics. In the C19th the town was called Brienne-Napoleon. The Emperor had been a pupil at the town’s Military School. He also fought a battle here during the French Campaign of 1814. Aeriel photo of Brienne-le-Château Start at the Tourist Office Start at the Tourist Office Start at the Tourist Office Start at the Tourist Office 1 1 1- - -Place de la Halle Place de la Halle Place de la Halle Place de la Halle There’s been a market here for more than a 1,000 years. The date of the present building is uncertain. It may be C16th. The roof was restored during the C19th. Corn chandlers have now given way to the market traders that you can meet here every Thursday. 2 2 2- - -The Bridge The Bridge The Bridge The Bridge This street with its bridge was once the main entrance to the chateau. Many of the old houses here have survived the devastating fires of 1814 and 1940. 3 3 3— — — The Château The Château The Château The Château The Aube’s ‘Versailles’ stands proudly on a hill dominating the town. It’s surrounded by splendid gardens. Five families held the tiltle of Count of Brienne. The present chateau which stands on the site of the old castle was designed by Jean Louis FONTAINE. Work started in 1770 and it took eight years to build. Etienne Charles de LOMENIE de Brienne (1727-1794) was a cardinal and statesman. He paid for this building to house the family of his brother, Louis Marie Athanase (1730-1794) who was the War Minister. Between 1852 and 1933 the chateau belonged to the Bauffremont family. It was bought by the, local authorities in 1955 and opened as a hospital in 1959. 4 4 4- - -The Church of St Peter and St Paul The Church of St Peter and St Paul The Church of St Peter and St Paul The Church of St Peter and St Paul The C14th nave has vestiges from the C12th. The choir dates to the start of the C16th and the bell tower to 1790. There’s a C12th tympanum with probably a Virgin in Majesty above a side door. The cast iron choir grille dates to 1746 and was made by a locksmith from Bar-sur-Aube. There are 9 C16th windows in grisaille and coloured glass in the choir. This listed building also has many fine low reliefs, paintings and statues that date from the C16th to the C18th. It was here that Napoleon took his first communion. The Church was badly damage in the fire of June 1940. The restoration was finished in 1965. Church open every day : 9’ to 6’ 5 5 5— — — The Town Hall and the Statue of Napoleon The Town Hall and the Statue of Napoleon The Town Hall and the Statue of Napoleon The Town Hall and the Statue of Napoleon Brienne had suffered badly in 1814. In recognition of this Napoleon bequeathed 1,200,000 Francs to the town. Napoleon III created a commission in 1852 to see which parts of the Emperor’s will remained to be carried out and to also determine the financing. It was decided to award Brienne 400,000 Francs. The centrepiece of the repair and restoration programme was a new town hall.. The commission had demanded that 25,000 Francs was to be spent on a statue of Napoleon. The sculptor Louis Rochet was chosen to design it and the head of Napoleon on the pediment of the town hall. In 1859 the town hall was opened and the statue unveiled. The statue The statue The statue The statue : : : : Napoleon is depicted at the age of 15 when he left the Militay School here. He’s wearing his uniform, a blue and red jacket and black trousers. His hair is unfastened as a sign of his new freedom. The hand in waistcoast gesture associated with the adult Napoleon has been much debated. It’s probably a posture copied from C18th male portraits. Napoleon started to read Roman historians such as Tacitus at Brienne. Here he’s carrying a copy of PLUTARCH’s lives. It was one of his favourite books that he read many times. Julius Caeser and Alexander the Great became his heroes and role models. Napoleon Civil and Criminal Codes are represented on the plinth. They were the origin of the legal systems in many European countries. On the base you can read the following tribute offered by Napoleon : « I believe that Brienne was my birthplace. It was there that I started to become a man » The Pediment The Pediment The Pediment The Pediment : : : In 1804 Napoleon was made Emperor. He chose an eagle for his coat of arms, as it was both a symbol of Imperial Rome and military victory. The laurel leaf crown was also a symbol of victory. He wore one at his coronation before putting on the Imperial crown. In Napoleonic heraldy there are Winged Victories; Here the Victories that frame the face are wingless. Step by step in Brienne Step by step in Brienne Step by step in Brienne Step by step in Brienne- - -le le le le- - -Château... Château... Château... Château...
Transcript of Step by step in Brienne---lelleele----ChâteauChâteauChâteau
Crédits Photos: Kenneth Graham – Sonia Pereira - Pascal Bourguignon – Jean Marc Livet
Brienne is just 3 hours to the east of Paris. It is on the doorstep of the Fôret d’Orient Regional Nature Park.
If you love history, if you want to try delicious local produce or
you want the choice of a wide range of leisure activities then this is the town for you.
The Counts of Brienne were one of the most powerful feudal
families in Medieval France. They were Crusaders and one count even became king of Jerusalem in the C13th. The Lomenies, last holders of the
title, played an important role in C18th French politics.
In the C19th the town was called Brienne-Napoleon. The Emperor had been a pupil at the town’s Military School. He also fought
a battle here during the French Campaign of 1814.
Aeriel photo of Brienne-le-Château
Start at the Tourist OfficeStart at the Tourist OfficeStart at the Tourist OfficeStart at the Tourist Office
1111----Place de la HallePlace de la HallePlace de la HallePlace de la Halle
There’s been a market here for more than a 1,000 years.
The date of the present building is uncertain. It may be C16th. The roof was restored during the C19th. Corn chandlers have now given way to the market traders that you can meet here every Thursday.
2222----The Bridge The Bridge The Bridge The Bridge
This street with its bridge was once the main entrance to the chateau. Many of the old houses here have survived the devastating fires of 1814 and 1940.
3333———— The ChâteauThe ChâteauThe ChâteauThe Château
The Aube’s ‘Versailles’ stands proudly on a hill dominating the town.
It’s surrounded by splendid gardens.
Five families held the tiltle of Count of Brienne. The present chateau which stands on the site of the old castle was designed by Jean Louis FONTAINE. Work started in 1770 and it took eight years to build. Etienne Charles de LOMENIE de Brienne (1727-1794) was a cardinal and statesman.
He paid for this building to house the family of his brother, Louis Marie Athanase (1730-1794) who was the War Minister.
Between 1852 and 1933 the chateau belonged to the Bauffremont family. It was bought by the, local authorities in 1955 and opened as a hospital in 1959.
4444----The Church of St Peter and St PaulThe Church of St Peter and St PaulThe Church of St Peter and St PaulThe Church of St Peter and St Paul
The C14th nave has vestiges from the C12th. The choir dates to the start of the C16th and the bell tower to 1790.
There’s a C12th tympanum with probably a Virgin in Majesty above a side door.
The cast iron choir grille dates to 1746 and was made by a locksmith from Bar-sur-Aube.
There are 9 C16th windows in grisaille and coloured glass in the choir.
This listed building also has many fine low reliefs, paintings and statues that date from the C16th to the C18th.
It was here that Napoleon took his first communion.
The Church was badly damage in the fire of June 1940. The restoration was finished in 1965.
Church open every day : 9’ to 6’
5555———— The Town Hall and the Statue of NapoleonThe Town Hall and the Statue of NapoleonThe Town Hall and the Statue of NapoleonThe Town Hall and the Statue of Napoleon
Brienne had suffered badly in 1814. In recognition of this Napoleon bequeathed 1,200,000 Francs to the town. Napoleon III created a commission in 1852 to see which parts of the Emperor’s will remained to be carried out and to also determine the financing. It was decided to award Brienne 400,000 Francs. The centrepiece of the repair and restoration programme was a new town hall..
The commission had demanded that 25,000 Francs was to be spent on a statue of Napoleon. The sculptor Louis Rochet was chosen to design it and the head of Napoleon on the pediment of the town hall.
In 1859 the town hall was opened and the statue unveiled.
The statue The statue The statue The statue : : : :
Napoleon is depicted at the age of 15 when he left the Militay School here. He’s wearing his uniform, a blue and red jacket and black trousers. His hair is unfastened as a sign of his new freedom. The hand in waistcoast gesture associated with the adult Napoleon has been much debated. It’s probably a posture copied from C18th male portraits.
Napoleon started to read Roman historians such as Tacitus at Brienne. Here he’s carrying a copy of PLUTARCH’s lives. It was one of his favourite books that he read many times. Julius Caeser and Alexander the Great became his heroes and role models.
Napoleon Civil and Criminal Codes are represented on the plinth. They were the origin of the legal systems in many European countries. On the base you can read the following tribute offered by Napoleon :
« I believe that Brienne was my birthplace.
It was there that I started to become a man »
The Pediment The Pediment The Pediment The Pediment ::::
In 1804 Napoleon was made Emperor. He chose an eagle for his coat of arms, as it was both a symbol of Imperial Rome and military victory. The laurel leaf crown was also a symbol of victory.
He wore one at his coronation before putting on the Imperial crown. In Napoleonic heraldy there are Winged Victories; Here the Victories that frame the face are wingless.
Step by step in BrienneStep by step in BrienneStep by step in BrienneStep by step in Brienne----lelelele----Château...Château...Château...Château...
Crédits Photos: Kenneth Graham – Sonia Pereira - Pascal Bourguignon – Jean Marc Livet
Finish at the Tourist OfficeFinish at the Tourist OfficeFinish at the Tourist OfficeFinish at the Tourist Office
6666———— MuseumsMuseumsMuseumsMuseums
The Military School was founded in Brienne-le-Château in 1776. It was one of 12 in France that were intended to train the children of the nobility to be soldiers. The only surviving building was listed in 1933 and became a museum in 1969.
It retraces his school years and the battles of 1814.
In the former chapel joined to the museum building there are cultural objects, church plate, paintings and sculptures that come from churches in and around the Fôret d’Orent Regional Nature Park.
At the end of your visit, you can see two films that we hope will complement what you’ve already learned.
If you’ve any questions don’t hesitate to ask us.
Map :Map :Map :Map :
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Tourist Office** Napoleon & Chuch Treasures Museums
34, rue de l’École Militaire 10 500 BRIENNE LE CHÂTEAU
Phone 03 25 92 82 41 Fax. 03 25 27 11 25
Mail : [email protected] Website : www.ville-brienne-le-chateau.fr
Step by step inStep by step inStep by step inStep by step in BrienneBrienneBrienneBrienne----lelelele----Château...Château...Château...Château...
Opening hours:
01/04 - 31/10 : all days except the 1st of may, 10h-12h30 & 14h-18h.
01/11 - 31/03: tuesday to friday, 10h-12h30 & 14h-17h and the week-end, 14h-17h
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