Château de Menars is a historic castle on the Loire River in Menars, famously linked to Madame de Pompadour.
Built around 1646 by Guillaume Charron, the castle initially featured a main building with two pavilions. Expanded by his son Jean-Jacques Charron in 1669, it became a marquisate under Louis XIV in 1676. In 1725, Louis XV gifted the estate to Queen Marie Leszczyńska’s parents, who lived there until 1736.
Madame de Pompadour acquired the castle in 1760, commissioning Ange-Jacques Gabriel to add two new wings and several pavilions, including the Pavilion of the Clock and Pavilion of the Meridian. Interior alterations included new woodwork and subterranean connections. After Pompadour’s death in 1764, her brother, the Marquis de Marigny, continued renovations, adding French-style roofs and expanding the side court.
In 1830, Joseph, Prince de Caraman-Chimay, established a school on the estate, constructing additional buildings and a gas works.
Despite successive additions, the château retains a 17th-century simplicity. Notable features include the main building’s large gallery, ornate woodwork, and a stone staircase. The library’s mahogany dado and other elements reflect Marigny’s contributions.
Originally designed with formal parterres, canals, and avenues, the gardens were reimagined by Marigny, who added an English garden, a grotto, and various follies. He also created a terrace for displaying sculptures and enhanced the grounds with trellises, hedges, and a kitchen garden. Key features include the Rotunda of Abundance, a nymphaeum by Soufflot, and a Chinese-style kiosk by Charles De Wailly.
The Château de Menars is a harmonious blend of 17th- and 18th-century architectural and landscaping styles, reflecting its rich history.
References:The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.
The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.
Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.