Jules Hardouin-Mansart

Timeline

1. c. 1646–1678Paris · ParisBorn into a Parisian architectural family, he inherited his great-uncle François Mansart's surname and design tradition. In the 1670s he designed works for the court such as the Château de Val near Saint-Germain-en-Laye, became the king's architect around 1675, and was commissioned to work on the Saint-Louis church at the Invalides, paving the way for his later takeover of the Versailles expansion.
2. 1678–1699Versailles · VersaillesFrom 1678 he took over the unfinished Versailles works of Louis Le Vau: closing the garden-side terrace to create the Hall of Mirrors, extending the great north and south wings, and building the Orangerie, the Grand and Petit Écuries, and the Grand Trianon. In 1681 he became the king's first architect. Together with Le Nôtre's gardens and the radiating city roads, the palace made Versailles the ceremonial capital of absolute monarchy. In the same period he completed the plans for Paris's Place des Victoires and Place Vendôme.
3. 1699–1708Marly · MarlyPromoted to director of buildings in 1699, he oversaw all royal construction. The domed church of the Invalides, built to his design, was consecrated in 1706 and became a landmark of the Paris skyline. Work on the royal chapel at Versailles accelerated from the late 1690s but was unfinished at his death, completed in 1710 by his assistant and son-in-law Robert de Cotte. He died at Marly on 11 May 1708.