Jardin du Luxembourg

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The Luxembourg Palace seen from the garden

The Jardin du Luxembourg (familiar nickname Luco) is a 224,500 m² public park and the largest in the city located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France. Luxembourg is the garden of the French Senate, which is itself housed in the Luxembourg Palace.

The palace and gardens were built by architect Salomon de Brosse for Marie de' Medici from 1615 to 1627. The garden is enjoyable for its calm. On the little pond children play with miniature boats. The garden contains various statues and sculptures. Surrounding the pond are a series of statues of former French queens.

Statue of St. Bathilde, Queen of France in the 7th Century

The École nationale supérieure des Mines de Paris and the Odéon theatre stand next to the Luxembourg Garden.

Opening hours depend on the month: opening between 7:30 and 8:15 am; closing between 4:45 and 9:45 pm.

Trivia

• On December 7 1815, Marshal of France Michel Ney was executed here by firing squad after having been convicted on a charge of treason for joining Napoléon Bonaparte during the Hundred Days.
• There is also a painting by Henri Matisse entitled Luxembourg Gardens. It was stolen during an armed robbery of the Chacara do Ceu museum where it was housed.
• The Luxembourg Garden (and its boat lake) features prominently in the French in Action instructional television series.

Panoramic view of the Jardin du Luxembourg

External links

• [The Jardin du Luxembourg] - Current and old photographs of the garden, statues, fountains

See also

• List of parks and gardens in Paris

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