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Origin and history

The Hôtel de Monpelas, located at 19 avenue Foch in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, was built in 1859 by the architect Thierry for Madame de Monpelas. It is one of the last testimonies of the architectural framework of Avenue de l'Imperatrice, created in 1854 under the Second Empire. Its style reflects the opulence of Parisian private hotels of that time, with a body of houses framed with two low wings and preserved interior decorations, such as the smoking room and its living room with remarkable woodwork.

After belonging to the Duke of Nemours, the hotel was acquired by Mr.Ephrussi and his wife, Béatrice de Rothschild, emblematic figure of the Parisian high society. Since December 1979, it has been home to the Embassy of the Republic of Angola. The facades, roofs, as well as the smoking room and the small living room (with their woodwork, possibly coming from Louveciennes Castle) have been protected under the Historic Monuments since 1979.

The building embodies the fascist of the bourgeoisie and aristocracy of the 19th century, while at the same time testifying to the Haussmannian urban transformations. Its architecture, combining classicism and elegance, makes it a representative example of the private residences of the Parisian elite of the time, now converted to a diplomatic place.

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