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Origin and history

The castle of Madrid, originally named Château de Boulogne, was ordered in 1528 by François I in the Bois de Boulogne, on the present town of Neuilly-sur-Seine. Directed by Italian and French architects such as Girolamo della Robbia, Pierre Gadier and Philibert Delorme, he embodies a masterpiece of the French Renaissance, mixing Tuscan influences (decors of terracotta invetriata) and local traditions (pavillons inspired by Chambord). His name would come from a court joke: the courtiers said that the king, often withdrawing after his captivity in Madrid, had "departed to Madrid". The gardens extended to the present-day rue du Bois-de-Boulogne, while the central body, flanked by loggias, recalled Italian villas like Boffalora.

The castle became a privileged residence of the Valois: Charles IX and Catherine de Médicis stayed there before the massacre of the Saint-Barthélemy (1572), and Marguerite de Valois lived there after her return in grace in 1605. Louis XIII used it again in the 17th century, but Louis XIV abandoned it to Versailles. As early as 1656, a silk stockings factory was installed there, without lasting success. From 1657, the building, poorly maintained, deteriorated rapidly. In 1787 Louis XVI ordered his sale and demolition, effective after 1792. The materials were dispersed: woodwork, lead and enamelled tiles from Della Robbia were sold, while some fragments (a capital in Écouen, ceramics at Carnival and Sèvres) remain today.

The hypothesis of a Spanish inspiration (I-Alcazar of Madrid) is implausible, because its reconstruction by Charles Quint (1537) postdates the beginning of the French work. On the other hand, the decoration of coloured earthenware, evoking the azulejos, and the ironic use of the name "Madrid" by the court, explain its definitive name. The "H" plan and the "Dangle" towers are rather inspired by Italian villas and Loire castles (Chenonceau, Chambord). After its destruction, the site hosted a clinic, a haras, and then a restaurant (1909), now transformed into housing. No significant vestige of the castle is visible in situ.

The works were completed between 1568 and 1570 under Henry II, with major contributions from Le Primatice, who recalled Della Robbia for the decorations. The castle was famous for its sumptuous interiors and its facades almost entirely covered with enamelled terracotta bas-reliefs, worth its nickname "Château de faience". These elements, combined with its position on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne, made it a symbol of royal patronage and Italian artistic influence in France in the 16th century.

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