Jardin du Palais Royal

The Jardin du Palais Royal is defined by the rigid symmetry of its tree-lined paths and the surrounding classical arcades that enclose the space in a quiet rectangle. Originally built as the Palais-Cardinal in the sixteen-thirties for Cardinal Richelieu, this place evolved from a private residence into a center of public life. By the late eighteenth century, the owner, Philippe d’Orléans, ringed the garden with shops and galleries to generate income, effectively creating an urban stage that operated outside the reach of the city police.