Jardin des Tuileries

The Jardin des Tuileries is Paris’s oldest public park, a masterpiece of classical landscape design by André Le Nôtre. It serves as both promenade and historical setting.

Geography

Stretching from the Louvre to the Place de la Concorde, the garden lies along the historic east-west axis of Paris, bordered by the Seine and Rue de Rivoli.

History

Created in 1564 for Catherine de Medici’s Tuileries Palace, the garden was redesigned by Le Nôtre in 1664 as a model of French formal geometry. After the palace was burned in 1871, the grounds became a public park under the Louvre’s administration.

Present Day

The Tuileries remain a major gathering place for Parisians and visitors alike, hosting sculptures, fountains, and temporary exhibitions under the Louvre’s care.