French embassy - Ambassade de France
| RSSInternational: Rendez-vous at the quai d’Orsay for a double anniversary celebration
April 2006
Although the occurrence of both events in the same year is a historical twist of fate, it remains an important coincidence. France has decided to organise joint celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the “Quai d’Orsay” - one of the French Republic’s most prestigious edifices - and the 1856 Treaty of Paris - the first treaty ever signed in this building. An essential element of the history of modern Europe, the treaty effectively ended the Crimean War and restored peace while ushering Europe into the “era of nationalities”. International conference, exhibits, and Open Days were but some of the events organised to mark this celebration of one of France’s historical and national heritage sites.
Construction on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which began in 1844 on the banks of the Seine, was completed at the end of 1855, giving rise to a harmonious architectural ensemble representative of the decorative art of the Second Empire, the so-called “Napoleon III style”. As for the street address, “37 Quai d’Orsay” (named after an 18th century merchant provost), it soon became synonymous with France’s foreign office and policy, leading to expressions such as “The Quai d’Orsay says... The Quai d’Orsay confirms... According to the Quai d’Orsay...”
After the French Revolution and the fall of the monarchy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was removed from its magnificent premises in Versailles and, for the next 60 years, endured numerous relocations in Paris until a worthy site was at last selected. The new location, near the rowdy Chamber of Deputies, aroused the indignation of those in favour of discretion and state secrecy, who viewed this proximity as incompatible with the Ministry’s mission. To provide a dignified welcome to the sovereigns and diplomats hosted within the dual-façade building (one facing the Seine, the other the gardens) and to make the edifice the “showcase of French know-how”, renowned architect Jacques Lacornée was brought in to design the structure, as well as the finest sculptors, painters, tapestry makers, decorators and the best manufacturers of bronzes, chandeliers, mirrors, pendulums and chimneys.
The first major meeting convened under the golden panelling of the ministry’s new edifice was none other than the 1856 Congress of Paris, tasked with negotiating the conclusion of the bloody two-year Crimean War that drew Turkey and its allies - France, Britain and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia - into conflict with Russia, determined to establish itself in Constantinople on the pretext of protecting holy sites and Orthodox Christians in the Ottoman Empire. Austria provided diplomatic mediation. The conflict, which ended with the defeat of the Russian army after a one-year siege in Sevastopol, was among the first wars documented through photography. The photo-report was on display in the Ministry’s Salons during the “Open Days” held in March 2006.
Other memorable events at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs include the visit of the Shah of Persia in 1889 and the Russian squadron in 1893. For the 1938 visit of the English monarchs, part of the first floor was renovated, notably the bathrooms, famous for their mosaic-inlaid bathtubs and sinks: gold for the King and silver for the Queen. In 1959, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie and US President Dwight D. Eisenhower were among the illustrious guests at the Quai d’Orsay. The rooms provided for the famous visitors were regularly decorated with works of arts evoking their respective countries. In October 1973, future King of Spain Juan Carlos was the last distinguished visitor to stay at 37 Quai d’Orsay; official guests were subsequently hosted at other residences such as the Hotel Marigny or the Grand Trianon at Versailles.
Over the years, the luxurious salons of the Quai d’Orsay retained their historical names, such as the Salon des Ambassadeurs, where visitors waited before being ushered into the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, located in an elegant rotunda; the Salon du Congrès, named in honour of the famous 1856 Congress of Paris (actually held in the Salon des Ambassadeurs!), and the most famous of all, the Salon de l’Horloge, originally intended for balls and concerts but later used for political events, international conferences and the signing of treaties. The salon, with its renowned chimney and lavishly decorated ceiling arches, also served as the backdrop for the 1919 Peace Conference (the prelude to the Versailles Treaty) and Robert Schumann’s famous declaration on 9 May 1950, when he called for the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the first European institution.
Another spectacular feature is the building’s vast dining room that opens onto the gardens and can accommodate over 100 dinner guests. A more intimate dining room is located on the first floor, near the Salon des Perroquets, named after the tapestries gracing its walls. Numerous works of art - portraits, tapestries, sculptures and objets d’art - are on display and mark the history of the Quai d’Orsay. Over the past few years, contemporary art has even been added to this historical collection - quite a daring innovation!
Designed in 1850 to house 85 employees, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently includes 17,000 agents in France and worldwide. It underwent various transformations throughout the 20th century: construction of an additional floor in lieu of the attic, doubling of the office space in the edifice’s inner courtyard, reconstruction in 1945 of the building (seriously damaged during the war), reorganisation of the extremely rich archives collection (a significant part of which will soon be stored elsewhere), creation of the Treaty Room and of an exhibition room (since transformed into a library), and expansion of the Ministry’s premises to several other sites in Paris or Nantes, in western France. Yet despite these and future changes, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs will always be known as the “Quai d’Orsay”!
Claudine Canetti
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Last updated: 25.04.2006