This article contains material abridged and translated from the French and Spanish
Wikipedia.
The
Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées, commonly known as the
Grand Palais (
English: Great Palace), is a large
historic site,
exhibition hall and
museum complex located at the
Champs-Élysées in the
8th arrondissement of
Paris,
France. Construction of the Grand Palais began in 1897 following the demolition of the
Palais de l'Industrie (Palace of the Industry) as part of the preparation works for the
Universal Exposition of 1900, which also included the creation of the adjacent
Petit Palais and
Pont Alexandre III.
The structure was built in the style of
Beaux-Arts architecture as taught by the
École des Beaux-Arts of Paris. The building reflects the movement's taste for ornate decoration through its stone
facades, the formality of its floor planning and the use of techniques that were innovative at the time, such as its glass vault, its structure made of
iron and
light steel framing, and its use of
reinforced concrete.
History
One of its pediments calls it a “monument dedicated by the Republic to the glory of French art”, reflecting its original purpose, that of housing the great artistic events of the city of Paris. The competition to choose the architect was fierce and controversial, and ultimately resulted in the contract being awarded to a group of four architects,
Henri Deglane,
Albert Louvet,......
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