Grand Palais – Palais de la Découverte
The Grand Palais was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900.
Initially slated for demolition after the exhibition (like the Petit Palais located on the opposite pavement), the Grand Palais was fortunately preserved and transformed into a temporary exhibition space.
Built on an H-shaped plan, it boasts a harmonious blend of Beaux-Arts and Art Nouveau styles.
Its large glass roof and richly ornamented stone facades make it an iconic Parisian landmark.
The Palais de la Découverte (Palace of Discovery) was established in the building for the 1937 International Exposition.
This science museum, located in the rear wing, along Avenue Franklin-Roosevelt, offers educational exhibits and interactive scientific displays.
In 1957, the southern section of the Grand Palais, adjacent to the Seine, was incorporated into the University of Paris and renovated to house a series of classrooms and a large library.
The Grand Palais is renowned for its breathtaking architectural features, among which is its vast nave covered by an immense glass roof supported by a complex metal structure.
Other iconic Parisian monuments, such as the Orsay Museum, the Eiffel Tower, and the covered pedestrian passages and galleries that dot the city, illustrate this innovative architectural style of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Despite its modern technical design, the building boasts an imposing facade that adheres to more traditional architectural conventions. This 240-m-long facade is indeed punctuated by a series of Doric columns that help to lighten the structure’s mass and lend the whole an impression of elegance.
The monumental entrance porch, located at the prestigious intersection of the Champs Elysées and Avenue Churchill, is crowned by a colossal sculptural ensemble depicting four horses pulling a chariot, the work of the artists Falguière and Peter.
The Grand Palais was listed as a historical monument in 2000.
It closed in 2021 for a complete restoration due to the ravages of time, which had weakened and fragmented the building.
Many sculptures, ornaments, and the glass roof panels had indeed deteriorated, and some walls were damaged by water seepage from the Seine.
The restoration took place in phases.
The nave and adjacent galleries reopened for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and then to the public in October of the same year.
The Palais de la Découverte underwent renovation and modernisation at the same time as the Grand Palais, as the two institutions are part of the same architectural complex.
Directions: 8th district – Avenue Winston Churchill.
Metro: Champs-Elysées-Clémenceau on Line 1
Coordinates: Lat 48.866109 – Long 2.312454
