{"id":5327,"date":"2022-11-11T14:00:48","date_gmt":"2022-11-11T13:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.descubreparis.com\/?p=5327"},"modified":"2022-11-11T14:00:50","modified_gmt":"2022-11-11T13:00:50","slug":"7-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-petit-palais","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.descubreparis.com\/en\/2022\/11\/11\/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-petit-palais\/","title":{"rendered":"7 things you need to know about the Petit Palais"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Today in Descubre Paris, <\/em>we\u2019ll tell you the seven things you need to know before visiting the Petit Palais<\/em>, a majestic building near the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es <\/em>in Paris. Stay tuned through the end for a Fun Fact that will make you keep your eyes peeled as you visit other Parisian monuments! Ready? Here we go:<\/p>\n

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1 . It\u00b4s not as \u201cpetit\u201d as you may think!<\/h5>\n

The Petit Palais<\/em> or Small Palace is not actually that<\/em> small. It measures in at over 5,000 square meters (16,000 square feet) divided into two levels, seven galleries, and a beautiful garden. Of course, if we compare it to the Grand Palais <\/em>or Great Palace, its sister building in front, the Petit Palais<\/em> is much smaller. However, you’ll be amazed at all the treasures it stores inside!<\/p>\n

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Galeria del Petit Palais, Paris. Fotos \u00a9Descubre Par\u00eds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
2 . It was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900<\/h5>\n

It was part of a set of structures that were built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. This one in particular is characterized by the richness of its decoration, its range of architecture, and its clever distribution. It was built along with the Grand Palais,<\/em> located just in front of it, and the beautiful Alexander III Bridge (just a few steps away).<\/p>\n

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Petit Palais, Paris. Fotos \u00a9Descubre Par\u00eds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
3 . It houses the Museum of Fine Arts of Paris<\/h5>\n

Its real name is the City of Paris\u2019 Museum of fine Arts and it hosts an important art collection owned by the City of Paris, as well as several temporary exhibitions.<\/p>\n

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Petit Palais, Paris. Fotos \u00a9Descubre Par\u00eds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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4 . Every detail was thought-out<\/h5>\n

It has a spectacular hall in its entrance with a dome adorned by four allegorical paintings: Mysticism, Plastic, Thought, and Matter. There are also a few painted side-galleries: one has the history of Paris from the Battle of Lutetia through modern times, and the other celebrates the Republic. They are amazing.<\/p>\n

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Gran Galer\u00eda, Petit Palais, Paris. Fotos \u00a9Descubre Par\u00eds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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5 . It has a beautiful inside garden<\/h5>\n

It is a peristyle garden meaning it is a garden surrounded by columns and it is decorated with a giant fresco where you can appreciate the months of the year, along with the hours within the day and the night, and even the seasons. From there, you can see the amazing outside details of the dome. It’s a great place to take a break, it really makes you feel like you are miles away from the city.<\/p>\n

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Jardin del Petit Palais, Paris. Fotos \u00a9Descubre Par\u00eds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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6. It’s like time-travelling through art<\/h5>\n

The museum has an impressive collection (paintings, sculptures, objects) that illustrate the main artistic currents from Ancient Greece all the way into the XIX century. All the pieces in the museum were donated by collectors and art lovers.<\/p>\n

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Petit Palais, Paris. Fotos \u00a9Descubre Par\u00eds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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7 . To top it all off: It\u2019s free<\/h5>\n

\u00a0This museum is part of the network of City of Paris Museums<\/a>, making its entrance free, however visitors are encouraged to leave a donation. You really shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to go in, even if it\u2019s just for a little while! However, the temporary exhibits are not free and the prices vary between 9\u20ac to 15\u20ac per person.<\/p>\n

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Before we go, here\u2019s a #FunFact<\/h5>\n

The floor of the Main Gallery and the garden were laid by Italian-born Giandomenico Facchina, who developed a more effective way of setting down mosaic. He installed the mosaic in many of Paris’s most iconic places, such as the Garnier Op\u00e9ra, <\/em>the Op\u00e9ra-Comique, <\/em>the Mus\u00e9e Gr\u00e9vin, <\/em>the Palais Galliera, <\/em>the Mus\u00e9e Carnavalet, <\/em>the Galerie Vivienne, <\/em>the Printemps, <\/em>and the Bon March\u00e9. <\/em>So, whenever you see mosaics in Paris you\u2019ll know a little bit more about their history.<\/p>\n

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Interior del Petit Palais, Paris. Fotos \u00a9Descubre Par\u00eds<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Do you want to visit the Petit Palais? <\/em>Keep these things in mind:<\/h5>\n