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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hôtel de la Superintendence des Bâtiments, located in Place du Général-de-Gaulle at Fontainebleau, was built in 1685-1687 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart upon request from Louvois. It replaced the Hotel de Foix and housed the offices of the Superintendency of Buildings, originally housed in the south wing of the castle. A wooden deck, demolished during the Revolution, linked it to the white horse court.

In the 18th century, the building hosted the offices of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, although Vergennes judged the premises small. Little modified, he kept his original facades. In 1893 Baron Niedermeyer bought it back and restored the facade by adding a line of bricks above the cornice. The building then became a private property.

Between 2015 and 2017, the facades underwent a historic renovation. In February 2023, a mosaic of the artist Invader, representing a Tiffany lamp, was placed on the façade of rue Denecourt and then removed by the owner. The facades on Place du Général-de-Gaulle and Rue Denecourt have been listed as historical monuments since 1928.

Built in sandstone and brick, the hotel illustrates the sober 17th century architecture. Its history reflects the administrative organization of the Court during hunting trips to Fontainebleau, where the castle lacked space for government services.

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