- Type
- Palace / château
- Origins
- 17th century per Wikidata: founding, first mention or construction
- Location
- Île-de-France, France
- Style
- Empire style
- Commissioned by
- Joséphine de Beauharnais
- Architect
- Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine, Charles Percier Bassant
- Visiting
- probably – Wikidata lists it as a museum or gives tickets, opening hours or visitor numbers; check before you go
- Coordinates
- 48.8708°, 2.1669°
History
A modest manor was built here in the 17th century and altered later. In 1799, while Napoleon was campaigning in Egypt, his wife Josephine bought it. The architects Percier and Fontaine decorated the interiors in a new manner that gave rise to the Empire style, and during the Consulate France was governed from Malmaison as much as from the Tuileries. After the divorce in 1809 Josephine settled here for good and died in the house in 1814. In June 1815, after Waterloo, Napoleon spent his last days at Malmaison before leaving for exile. In the early 20th century the château was given to the state and turned into a museum.
What to see
The château is intimate in scale, its rooms furnished as in Josephine's time: a council room shaped like a military tent, Bonaparte's library, the music room and the empress's bedroom. They hold furniture, portraits, porcelain and mementoes of the imperial couple. Around it lies an English-style park with a rose garden recalling Josephine's collection.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q684846
Popularity: articles about this site in 28 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).