Medici Fountain
Videos
The Medici Fountain is a monumental fountain in the Jardin du Luxembourg in the 6th arrondissement in Paris. Built in about 1630, it was commissioned by Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV of France and regent of King Louis XIII of France. It was moved to its present location and extensively rebuilt in 1864-1866.
The Medici Fountain
Architectural drawings of the fountain from Blondel's Architecture françoise, vol. 2 (1752)
The Medici Fountain as it appeared in about 1820, after the modifications made by Jean Chalgrin, architect of the Arc de Triomphe. (Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris)
Polyphemus Surprising Acis and Galatea, by sculptor Auguste Ottin, was added to the fountain in 1866.
Jardin du Luxembourg
Videos
The Jardin du Luxembourg, known in English as the Luxembourg Garden, colloquially referred to as the Jardin du Sénat, is located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. The creation of the garden began in 1612 when Marie de' Medici, the widow of King Henry IV, constructed the Luxembourg Palace as her new residence. The garden today is owned by the French Senate, which meets in the Palace. It covers 23 hectares and is known for its lawns, tree-lined promenades, tennis courts, flowerbeds, model sailboats on its octagonal Grand Bassin, as well as picturesque Medici Fountain, built in 1620. The name Luxembourg comes from the Latin Mons Lucotitius, the name of the hill where the garden is located.
The Jardin du Luxembourg seen from Montparnasse Tower
The Luxembourg Palace and the Grand Bassin
Garden of the Petit Luxembourg
A view of the Luxembourg Garden