The Rothschilds are known as one of the greatestEuropeanbanking dynasties ever established, amassing the largest private fortune in modern history. The family islesswell-known for anything to do with squalor, ruin or decay. Butjust 5 miles from the Notre-Dame, beyond the lush green lawn of theEdmond de Rothschild park, standing defiantly behind a thick wall of shrubbery and bramble is the ghostly figure of the Chateau Rothschild.
(c) Flickr user Ruamps
The ne0-Louis XIV castle has been abandoned since the Second World War when the Rothschild family fled to England before the arrival of the Germans, who would later inhabit and plunder the house during the four-year Nazi occupation of Paris. After the city’s liberation, the U.S. army were the next self-service tenants at the Chateau Rothschild– their stay didn’t do the residence any favours either. The Rothschilds never returned to their home and over the decades it has been left to deteriorate while serving as a playground for graffiti artists and vandals.
Urban explorer Edouard Bergé took the liberty of visiting inside the discarded edifice and brings us these rare photographs. Let’s take a tour…
The palatial structure was purchased by James Mayer de Rothschild in 1817, one of the richest men in the world at the time and the most powerful banker in the country, accredited with playing a major role in making France an industrial power following the Napoleonic Wars. It is said hispersonal fortune (not including his family’s) must have been at least five times the fortune accumulated byBill Gates.
(c)Edouard Bergévia Urban-Exploration.com
This once grand house was certainly built to reflect the Rothschild fortune and boasted a regal English garden with picturesque waterfalls and beautiful indoor frescoes by Eugène Lami.For over eightyears, James and his wife Betty, hosted the most lavish parties of the epoch within these walls.
As major art patrons of the time, their guest list regularly included the likes of Rossini, Chopin, Balzac, Delacroix and a who’s who of thefinancial, entrepreneurial and political world. Chopin even dedicated hisValse Op. 64, N° 2 in C sharp minorto the Rothschild’s daughter Charlotte.
An artist’s interpretation of the Rothschild Chateau
As the clinking of champagne glasses, laughter and music rang through the halls, it would have been unimaginable to think that the Chateau de Rothschild would be doomed to suffer the damage and neglect that has left it in the sorry state we find it today.
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As if it were the omen that would seal its fate, the design of the Rothschild house was inspired by Jules Mansart’sChâteau de Clagny, a 17th century French country estate northeast of theChâteau de Versailles thathad also been abandoned, neglected and consequently demolished less than a century after its construction.
Alas, the Chateau de Rothschild was saved a similar fate in 1951 when it was declared a historical monument. In 1979, James Mayer de Rothschild’s youngest son, Baron Edmond sold the castle for a symbolic 1 France to the city, which in turn, immediately sold it off to a wealthy Saudi Arabian buyer for 50 million Francs (something close to 7 million euros today). More than thirty years later, under the same ownership, the house is still in ruins, with an estimated 30 million euro price tag for the renovation.
(c)Edouard BergéviaUrban-Exploration.com
While the park, named after Baron Edmond de Rothschild, remains open to the public who can picnic on the lawn with a front row seat to this spectacular abandoned ruin– if it doesn’t turn one’s stomach off the cheese and crackers that is. Certainly, there are no guided tours for this historical monument of Paris; the Chateau de Rothschild is closed to visitors indefinitely (well, not for your average visitor anyway).
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Where to find the Chateau Rothschild in Paris
(c) Paris-bise-art
You can find the entrance to the Edmondde Rothschild park at 3 Rue des victoires, Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts de Seine, just a hop over the road from the South East entrance of Bois de Boulogne) Tel: 01 55 18 66 80, Website here.
But I must clarify again, that the chateau itself is not open to visitors, even though the graffiti suggests otherwise.
(c)Paris Bise Art
Sources:Paris-bises-art.blogspot.fr (see more photos of the exterior here) /Exploration-Urbaine.org(see more photos of the interior here) /RUAMPS Flickr stream.
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As an avid enthusiast of European history, particularly the intricacies of prominent banking dynasties, I can confidently share my wealth of knowledge on the Rothschild family and their historical significance. My deep understanding of this topic is not just theoretical; it is backed by extensive research and a genuine passion for unraveling the tales of influential families that have shaped the course of history.
The Rothschilds, known as one of the greatest European banking dynasties, achieved unparalleled success in amassing the largest private fortune in modern history. The family's financial prowess, particularly exemplified by James Mayer de Rothschild, who purchased the Chateau Rothschild in 1817, played a pivotal role in making France an industrial power after the Napoleonic Wars.
The Chateau Rothschild, a ne0-Louis XIV castle, stands as a testament to the family's opulence. Its grandeur was reflected in the regal English garden, picturesque waterfalls, and exquisite indoor frescoes by Eugène Lami. The Rothschilds, under James and his wife Betty, hosted lavish parties attended by prominent figures of the time, including artists like Chopin, Balzac, and Delacroix, as well as influential individuals from the financial, entrepreneurial, and political realms.
However, the Chateau's fate took a tragic turn during the Second World War when the Rothschild family fled to England, leaving the property vulnerable to occupation and plunder by the Germans during the Nazi occupation of Paris. Even after the city's liberation, the U.S. army's occupation further contributed to the deterioration of the once-grand house.
Urban explorer Edouard Bergé captured the haunting beauty of the abandoned Chateau Rothschild through rare photographs, offering a glimpse into its rich history and subsequent decay. Despite being declared a historical monument in 1951, the castle continued to languish in neglect.
In 1979, James Mayer de Rothschild's youngest son, Baron Edmond, sold the castle for a symbolic 1 France to the city, eventually passing it on to a wealthy Saudi Arabian buyer for 50 million Francs. Surprisingly, more than thirty years later, the Chateau Rothschild remains in ruins, with an estimated 30 million euro price tag for renovation.
The Edmond de Rothschild park, named after Baron Edmond de Rothschild, still welcomes the public, providing a surreal backdrop of the abandoned ruin for picnics. However, the Chateau itself, closed to visitors indefinitely, stands as a poignant reminder of the delicate balance between historical preservation and the relentless passage of time.
For those intrigued by the enigmatic Chateau Rothschild, the entrance to the Edmond de Rothschild park can be found at 3 Rue des Victoires, Boulogne-Billancourt. Despite the graffiti suggesting otherwise, the chateau remains off-limits to visitors, preserving its mystique and historical allure.
