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Origin and history

The Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine, located in Nancy, is an emblematic building combining flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance styles. Built at the beginning of the 16th century by order of Duke René II, it became the principal residence of the Dukes of Lorraine until its gradual abandonment to the benefit of the castle of Lunéville. The palace was partially destroyed by Leopold I, who envisaged an ambitious reconstruction project inspired by the Louvre, never completed.

The porterie, adorned with an equestrian statue of Duke Antoine de Lorraine, illustrates the influence of the first Lorrain Renaissance, with refined decorations such as plant candelabras and antelots. The deer's gallery, an old room in the building, housed a painted ceiling, destroyed during a fire in 1871. The palace also preserves remains of the former Ducal Castle, classified as historical monuments in 1840.

Today, the palace houses the Lorrain Museum, which traces the history of the region from prehistoric to Empire. The collections highlight major artists such as Ligier Richier or Georges de La Tour, as well as local faience factories. The museum also extends to the Cordeliers convent, where the tombs of the Dukes of Lorraine are located.

The architecture of the palace reflects its turbulent history: the facade combines Renaissance windows and Gothic balconies, while the Tower of the Clock, surmounted by an arrow, displays the symbols of the Duchy (chardons, crosses of Lorraine, alerions). Despite the destruction and transformations, the palace remains a major testimony of the ducal heritage in Lorraine.

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