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Origin and history

The Hotel des Relations Exterior de Compiègne, located in the Oise department, is a monument whose origins date back to the thirteenth century, although its main construction dates back to the eighteenth century. Originally, he served as the hotel of the Superintendency of the King's Buildings, an institution responsible for supervising the architectural works commissioned by the French monarchy. This role reflected the importance of Compiègne as a royal city, often frequented by the sovereigns for its forests and palaces.

Under the First Empire, the building took on a new function by becoming the Hotel of External Relations under Napoleon I. This change illustrates the political and administrative evolution of post-revolutionary France, where Compiègne, close to Paris, played a strategic role in diplomatic affairs. The hotel also preserves older traces, including part of the 13th century rampart built into its gardens, restored in the 19th century.

The building was officially recognized for its heritage value by its inscription in historic monuments in 1944. This protection covers both the facades and roofs of the old hotel, its French garden, as well as the medieval remains of the rampart. The successive restorations, especially in 1830 for the building and around 1920 for the gardens, bear witness to the continuous efforts to preserve this historic place, mixing medieval heritage and classicism of the Enlightenment.

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