The bishopric’s old palace is made up of buildings from different periods, starting with the 15th century and on through the 19th. Of the old palace that welcomed King Henry IV at the time of his coronation on February 27, 1594, only vestiges of the outbuildings, which date back to the 15th century, remain (arches that today are trimmed with greenery). The construction of the main part of the building was carried out by three bishops during the 17th and 18th centuries.
After the Château of Vidame, situated by the cathedral’s chevet, was demolished, Léonor d’Estampes de Valençay, Bishop from 1620 to 1641, constructed the gardens’ high terraces (see below). On this platform he built a new synodal hall, one floor of which leads to the cathedral through a tunnel. The arches set up on the right supported the tunnel, which was demolished in 1908 (the same time as the outbuildings). He also had the main part of the building, which faces the entrance, rebuilt.
Monseigneur Godet des Marais, Bishop from 1690 to 1709, who conducted Louis XIV’s and Madame de Maintenon’s marriage ceremony, had the back part of another wing built, as well as planned the terrace in the garden that faced it. Monseigneur de Fleury completed his predecessors work by building the main pavilion (around 1748), the vestibule with its U-shaped staircase, the “Italian Room,” which is crowned off by a balustrade, the chapel (the work of the architect Rousset and the sculptor Bridan, 1767-1775), and adding the endowment to the palace of the monumental gate (1750).
After the Revolution, the bishops’ palace was handed over to the Eure-et-Loir Department’s administration. Napoleon 1st was in charge of the prefect in 1811. The prefecture occupied the palace until the Episcopal seat was re-established on November 5, 1821. In 1905, pursuant to the law that had to do with the separation of church and state, the Episcopal palace once again became the property of the Department. In 1914, the General Council grants the City of Chartres the right to enjoy the use of the palace and garden, dependent upon the latter developing a museum and public area. In effect, this installation only came about in 1939.
The old Episcopal palace has been on the historical monuments list since 1906.
At the beginning of the 17th century, Bishop Léonor d’Estampes had several run-down buildings destroyed, and then had the terrace built, whose supporting wall was perhaps built on top of ancient fortifications. The lower gardens were developed by his successors. To the right, the terrace is bordered by the ruins of the Saint Jean abbey church, which was rebuilt at the same site after its destruction during the Siege of 1568. The Saint Jean Abbey was at first located outside of the walls, where today one finds André Gagnon Park.
The orangery was built in the far left area in 1778, on the site of the old college. They intended to extend the gardens to the banks of the Eure, but the Revolution put an end to that project. The gardens, from where one can enjoy one of the most beautiful views of the lower city, have been on the historical monuments list since 1941.
Mairie de Chartres
Place des Halles
28000 Chartres
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