Postman's Palace: a whimsical creation. How a simple postman built an ideal palace The ideal palace of the postman cheval

Sometimes, to become the owner of your own castle, it is not at all necessary to be born with a title in the tenth generation or have a solid income.

Sometimes it is enough just to turn on the fantasy, apply maximum diligence and, in a wave, the castle of your dreams will come true. Just like the usual French postman Ferdinand Cheval, who became the owner of a unique, one of a kind castle.

The construction of this megalithic work of art took Ferdinand 33 years of work.

Ferdinand Cheval, however, was also a big eccentric, whom the locals recognized as almost crazy. Cheval, who worked as a postman in the small town of Charmes-sur-l'herbasse, near Lyon, was always fascinated by unusual stones. This hobby once gave him the idea to thoroughly explore the surroundings, which millions of years ago served as the bottom of the ancient sea. Cheval liked what he found, and he set to work - he began to carry stones to his home, original, unusual shapes, all that, in his opinion, nature itself had given him as a building material. For 20 years of searching for such stones, a lot has accumulated, and Cheval, having retired in 1888, started building an amazing, unlike anything castle.

Having no special education in architecture, he built the Ideal Palace from stones, cement and wire, resembling a wild mixture of all styles and localities - in his castle one can feel the influence of both the Middle East with China and Algeria, biblical and Hindu mythology, for example, and such an extraordinary architect as Antonio Gaudi, who gave the world the incomparable Sagrada Familia.


Even during the life of Cheval, his castle was recognized as an architectural monument, and since 1969 it has been taken under protection as a cultural site.

While working, he had to walk more than 30 kilometers daily. The area in which the postman lived and worked was in ancient times the bottom of the sea, and abounded in all sorts of interesting stones.

On one of the usual working days, Ferdinand was carrying newspapers and letters to fellow citizens, and, suddenly, he stumbled upon a very beautiful stone. He stopped, put his bag aside, and began examining the stone. The perfection of forms and beauty struck him. After examining it more carefully at home, the postal worker decided the next day to examine the area around, whether all the stones were so interesting. It turned out that yes. And then he realized that this was a sign.

Meanwhile, despite the external structure of the walls, from the inside the castle has only one room, which Ferdinand used as a tool shed.

Although even during the life of Ferdinand this building received the status of an architectural monument, and, despite his request to bury himself inside, he was denied this ... Actually, the postman was not very upset, and built a family crypt in the same style, at the local cemetery, where he was buried at the age of 88.

Palace of Ferdinand Cheval.

This palace was built by the postman Ferdinand Cheval from the provincial French town of Hautevry. By oneself. Every day he walked about 30 kilometers, delivering mail around the neighborhood and thinking at this time a variety of thoughts. And one of his thoughts, which later came true, was the idea of ​​a palace. About some ideal palace-castle, with grottoes and caves, which would combine all the best and most interesting that human civilization has achieved. It is worth noting that Ferdinand Cheval was a simple man, coming from peasants and, of course, had no artistic, let alone architectural, education.

The construction of the palace began in 1879 and ended in 1912. Numerous sayings and mottos of Cheval are carved on its walls. For example, “1879-1912, 10,000 days, 93,000 hours, 33 years of hard work. Whoever thinks he can do better, let him try.”

Neighbors thought he was crazy. But during the construction process, Ferdinand Cheval managed to attract the attention of the surrealist artist Andre Breton and others to his project. They provided support for the project.

This building is about the size of an average house. 26 meters long, 14 meters wide at its widest point and 8 to 10 meters high, it has 2 floors. Of course, you can't live there. The palace was built of cement and stones. The building has stunningly beautiful and conceptual facades with various figures, the decoration of passages and galleries is interesting.

To say that this building is unusual is to say nothing. Here you can see sculptures of Caesar and Archimedes. A Swiss chalet, an Indian temple, a medieval chateau and the White House coexist here. There are multiple figurines of people and animals, even the story of Adam and Eve is presented. "Chandeliers" are made of stones and shells.

Ideal Palace of the Postman Ferdinand Cheval. France.

In the French city of Charmes-sur-l'herbasse, the postman Ferdinand Cheval worked, who was considered crazy for a long time. And it all started with the fact that one of the usual days, the postman, delivering mail, found a very beautiful stone, which has an almost perfect shape.

Ferdinand Cheval, having examined the area, discovered many more such interesting, in his opinion, stones. The postman decided that this was a sign from heaven, he began to diligently carry the stones home, while studying the features of the architectural styles of different eras and countries.

For twenty years, Cheval daily, until he retired, carried stones. Those around him laughed at him, called him crazy, but he stubbornly walked towards his goal.

In 1888, already in the status of a pensioner, Ferdinand began building the Ideal Palace. The building material, of course, was the stones he collected, as well as wire and cement.

Almost all styles and eras are mixed in the architectural composition of the former postman: the Middle East, China and Europe. On the walls of this international temple, you can see many inscriptions depicting the sayings of Christ and Buddha. All sorts of decorations and figures miraculously rise into the air, which look very impressive at night.

Ferdinand Cheval built this unique megalithic temple for thirty-three years, and the opinion of people towards the former postman changed, now no one considered him crazy.

On the contrary, in 1969 the French government of Charles de Gaulle ranks the Ideal Palace among the historical monuments of the country.

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Palace of Ferdinand Cheval in France. This fabulous palace, fairy tale castle was built by a simple postman in the small town of Charmes-sur-l'herbasse, near Lyon. Joseph Ferdinand Cheval was born in 1836. Cheval was not always a postman, he worked as an architect and even a baker.

1. Ferdinand Shevel himself is a rather unusual person, when he delivered mail, he constantly looked around in search of something unusual that would somehow brighten up the monotony. Also in the place with the mail, he brought people his thoughts on the construction of the castle, but more on that later.

2. From childhood, the boy grew up taciturn, but stubborn and dreamy. At 13, he left school and went to work in a bakery. And at the age of 32, Joseph and his wife moved to the outback called Hauterive and became a postman.

3. One day, Ferdinand Cheval stopped next to a stone that attracted his attention with its unusual appearance, and suddenly the idea occurred to him to collect as many of these stones as possible and build a palace out of them, after all. And so the life of a simple postman changed, who had such a great goal in life to build his palace.

4. So the postman began to carry home the same unusual stones and stack, since there used to be a sea here, the whole earth was strewn with similar stones, later Joseph said - "Since nature has endowed me with such excellent building materials, I was obliged to become an architect."

5. At first he carried stones in his pockets, then he bought a cart, and already went to work with the cart, randomly collecting stones. Of course, many considered him a madman, who filled the whole yard with incomprehensible, crooked stones, but he did not give up and continued to go towards his goal, it took him 20 years to collect stones.

6. The dimensions of the palace are 26 meters long and 14 meters wide, the height of the palace in some places reaches 8-10 meters. The palace is two-storied, the castle is built of stone, wire and cement.

7. In 1888, the postman retired, and here the real work began to boil, day and night the former eccentric built his work. Completely different styles are concentrated in this castle, and mixed with each other, inscriptions were placed on all the walls of the palace of Ferdinand Cheval - the sayings of Buddha and Christ. Inside there is a mosque and a temple of the Virgin Mary. The castle also has many passages and exits.

8. The castle was named - Ideal Palace - Le Palais. It took Shevel 33 years of his life to build the ideal palace. In the cellars of the palace, Ferdinand built two crypts - for his wife and for himself, as he dreamed of being buried here. But French law did not allow this, and then he had to build crypts in the cemetery.

9. In recent years, when Cheval's Ideal Castle became a landmark of the French town and curious tourists began to flock to it, Ferdinand Cheval willingly showed and told about his creation. Ferdinand Cheval died in 1924 at the age of 88.

10. In 1969, the French Ministry of Culture recognized the Ideal Palace as a historical monument.

The Palais Idéal Palace, located in the southeast of France, is a unique monument of naive art. The building was built in 33 years - from 1879 to 1912 - by a simple rural postman Ferdinand Cheval. The self-taught architect, making a daily journey of 32 km along the roads of Provence, picked up shells, mollusks and stones of an unusual shape and brought them home. Cheval began to carry out a unique plan to build an ideal palace at the age of 43. The original name of the building is the temple of Nature; it consisted of four walls of different style and decoration, as well as tunnels and a terrace.

The Palais Ideal incorporates elements of many architectural styles, but is closest to the art of outsiders. Here you can see the likeness of Egyptian temples with columns; faces resembling the heads of stone sculptures from Easter Island; palm trees, olive trees and aloe, created from limestone; spiral stairs; details typical of Hindu temples and mosques.

The palace can be considered a monument to stubbornness: having been refused by local authorities in a request to be buried in the Palais Ideal, Cheval turned the family crypt into an amazingly shaped tomb. Having finished the work, the master scratched on the facade of the building the phrase "Plus opiniâtre que moi se mettre à l" oeuvre "(" Let a more stubborn one than me take up the work ").

The Palais Ideal was declared a historical monument in 1969.

Palais Ideal in Provence // www.facteurcheval.com

Opening hours and cost of visiting

The palace is open daily, except for December 25 and January 1, as well as the period from January 15 to 31. Opening hours - from 9:30 to 17:30 or 19:00, depending on the season. Be careful: the palace closes for lunch from 12:30 to 13:30.

Tickets cost 5.8 euros for adults and 4.1 euros for children from 6 to 16 years old. For students, a visit to the palace will cost 4.8 euros. Audio guide - 2 euros.

Romans-sur-Isere is a 20-minute drive from Hauterives, where you can visit the charming Shoe Museum. If you plan to visit both attractions, ask the palace for a double ticket. It will cost a little cheaper than individual ones: 7.5 euros for adults and 5 euros for children from 7 to 16 years old.

How to get there

The nearest major cities are (81 km) and (77 km). The most convenient way to get to the village of Hauterives is by car. From Grenoble, head northeast on the A48 until you reach the D119. After turning left, continue onto the D119, which merges into the D519 and D73. At the junction of the D73 and D519 turn right and follow the D538 to the village of Hauterives.

From Lyon, drive south on the A7 to the D519 exit. After turning left, continue on the D519 until you turn onto the D131. Turning right, follow the D131 to D53. Then continue on D1; turn right at the fork onto the D121 and continue until the village of Hauterives.

Bus service connects Hauterives with the nearest towns and villages, in particular with Ten-l "Hermitage. It is necessary to check the bus schedule in addition.

The nearest international airport is located in Grenoble, 35 km from the village of Hauterives.

Location

The small village of Hauterives is located in the south, in, 25 km northeast of Ten-l "Hermitage.

Built in the image and likeness of French castles in the 13th century, Konopiste is notable for the fact that at the end of the 19th century it belonged to the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Franz Ferdinand d'Este.

The Czech Republic is an amazing country in which many eras intertwine. Here you can see the miracle of modern architecture: the Dancing House, whose bizarre forms both frighten and fascinate at the same time. It seems that at any moment the building will simply collapse like a toy. But rarely any tourist will pass by him, with bated breath, people climb the vintage stairs. And there, under a transparent dome, you can see the outlines of the greatest creation: the Konopiste castle.

Konopiště castle - photo in autumn sometimes.

History of Konopiste Castle

Bishop Beneshevich, who lived in the 13th century, visited France several times. Impressed by the development and unusualness of its churches, he decided to build himself a castle in the same style. Initially, the castle was an absolute copy of the French: towers, drawbridges, a monolithic building of the Gothic style. In the future, the castle had many owners who brought something of their own, rebuilt, added new ones. The result was an interesting building, which combines the Renaissance, Baroque, and Gothic styles.

But in the 19th century, the castle passed into the possession of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The potential heir to the throne wished to completely remake both the castle itself and the surrounding area. Franz Ferdinand was an avid collector and his true passion was hunting. The Archduke wanted to perpetuate his trophies and create a unique collection, which will not be equal in the world.

A great lover and admirer of antiquity, he traveled all over the world in order to collect all the marvelous rarities: trees, weapons, flowers, armor, skins, books.

From one trip, wanting to surprise and pamper his beloved wife and daughter, the Archduke brought a real, brown bear cub. Since then, it has become a tradition to have bears. And now you can see a Himalayan bear named Yirka on the territory of the castle.

Franz Ferdinand built the first elevator in his castle, which was almost exotic for that era. Also, all communications, including sewerage, were carried out in the castle. It should be noted that the duke gravitated toward English terraces, so the garden and park area were laid out in the style of England. As a result, the adjacent area turned into a luxurious garden.

The interesting thing is that whatever Franz Ferdinand took on became an absolute masterpiece. The countess was considered an unworthy party and frankly hated at court for her excessive openness of character. The reigning emperor himself did not particularly object to this marriage. But on the condition that the Austrian Archduke renounces the throne in writing.

The royal couple lived happily, the marriage brought three children. But in 1914, during a trip to Bosnia, a tragedy occurred. By that time, Herzegovina and Bosnia were completely occupied by the Austro-Hungarian alliance. Then the underground organization "Mlada Bosna" was created and its members staged an attempt on the heir to the throne. The attempt was successful: the crowned couple died. It was this murder that served as a sharp impetus for the outbreak of the First World War, in which hundreds of innocent people died.

Konopiště castle park

The Archduke liked to retire in a shady park located near the castle. Sometimes close associates searched for him for hours, only his wife Duchess Sophia always knew exactly where to find her husband. But she rarely disturbed her husband's peace. Franz Ferdinand ordered to build a park in a purely English style: shady alleys, perfectly trimmed bushes, a luxurious rose garden of rare roses. All over the world, he collected sculptural creations, placing them throughout the park. The rose garden itself stands out in particular, surrounded by hunting sculptures made by Italian craftsmen commissioned by the duke.

Park in the English style near the walls of the castle.

The total area was originally about 350 hectares, but over time it has slightly decreased and now it is 230 hectares. But the picturesque and marvelous garden is more like paradise: spreading crowns of trees cover luxurious flowers from excess sun, dozens of bushes brought from distant countries, peacocks are the lords of greenery. All paths are impeccably cleaned and tiled. Decorative flowerbeds of such extraordinary beauty that it may seem to a simple tourist that it was simply drawn by animators.

Collections of Konopiste Castle

Within the walls of the castle from the very beginning there were rooms with weapons, rare books, armor, hunting trophies. But after the castle passed to Franz Ferdinand, it turned into a solid museum of collections.

It is especially worth talking about the collection of his trophies. A lover of hunting, the Archduke of Austria sought to perpetuate his achievements in this hobby. He collected more than 300 thousand different copies, under each detailed plate: where, when the animal or bird was killed. These trophies adorn all the walls of the castle, but cause conflicting feelings among animal lovers. After all, behind each exhibit is the life of an innocent animal.

But one way or another, the collection has become unique: there is no other like it in the world. And for connoisseurs, it causes only transcendent admiration.

But after all, the Archduke created not only a collection of trophies. The castle has several rooms where weapons and armor from the 17th-19th century are collected. Possessing a huge fortune, Franz Ferdinand could afford to acquire any rare weapon, even if it belonged to the rarities of another country. Many exhibits were presented as a gift to his ancestors. Therefore, in the castle you can see the rarest expositions that are not found in any museum.

The very decoration of the castle can also be safely attributed to the collections. Tapestries, exclusive and massive chandeliers, luxurious furniture leave an impression for a long time. The rarest sculptures depicting George the Victorious (dragon slayer) are connected by an invisible thread into a single composition, if you walk around the entire castle from the bottom up and go around the wonderful garden.

Features and highlights of the castle

Registration in a regular registry office has become familiar to many. But there is a place where you can feel like a real royal couple on your wedding day.

The fact is that all marriages concluded in Prague are considered valid for all countries. This means that you can legitimize your relationship right on the territory of the luxurious seven-tower palace. Accommodation is provided in the castle, animators organize a real banquet for the royal family.

Another popular castle in the Czech Republic is Karlstejn. Unfortunately, there are no organized excursions for Russian tourists there yet. But it is easy to get to Karlstejn on your own. We'll show you how to do it quickly and safely.

And we collect information about Czech cities and their sights.

An interesting fact: not far from the castle in the town of Benešov, they brew their own beer, moreover, according to special recipes. It has a very symbolic name, although the residents themselves consider it "historical humor." , since it was seven bullets that shot the Ferdinand spouses in Sarajevo. To the taste of drink lovers, it will seem very peculiar, but at the same time high-quality and tasty. The inherent bitterness is preserved as additional symbolism.

Beer "Ferdinand Sedm Kuli".

Tourist guide: how to get to Konopiste Castle

The castle is located 40 km from the capital itself. Even if you are in Prague for the first time, it will be very easy to get to it even if you search on your own. However, it must be taken into account that without a guide it is simply impossible to enter the castle. In this it differs from other museums, where you can go without an escort.

Culture and fashion for cycling in the Czech Republic are at a high level. Signpost for cyclists: to Konopiste - 1 km.

All roads in the capital and beyond are marked with special signs, so you should be guided by them. The easiest way is to book a tour at your hotel. But you can take the Praha Hlavni Nadrazi train to Benešov, and from there follow the sign to the castle. Upon arrival, it is clearly visible, so it is easy to get there unaccompanied.

If you have already been to Prague, then you can use the metro: a train to the town also leaves from the Roztyly station. You can also take a bus, but it will take a little longer. A rented car is useful if you speak English or Czech well.

Excursion routes and their cost

The cost of the tour depends on the number of people, the route and the language of the accompanying guide.

There are three types of routes around the castle:

• tour of the personal apartments of the Archduke. The cost is 13-15 euros. The price already includes a guide service;
• excursion along the left wing and visiting hunting expositions;
• excursion along the right wing with a walk through the hall of the library and arsenal.

The cost of the last two is from 9 euros, depending on the requests of the tourist. You can also order an individual walk through the garden and the entire palace, which in total can be cheaper. The average duration of the tour is 1 hour.

The castle can be visited from the beginning of April to the end of October at any time, in November only on weekends. Every Monday is an official holiday.

Thinking about France, there are associations with the well-known sights of the country.

First of all, thoughts about Paris, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower visit. Did you know that there are quite a few amazing places in France that are worth seeing. One of these places is the Ideal Palace of Ferdinand Cheval (Ferdinand Cheval), the construction of which was started in April 1879 and completed 33 years later. Can you imagine that an ordinary postman without special education and skills was able to build an amazing palace that delights no less than the work of other respected and revered personalities.

Biography

Joseph-Ferdinand Cheval (1836 - 1924) never lived in wealth, was a simple man. He completed only a few classes. Not finishing school, at the age of 13 he decided to become a baker's apprentice. However, after some time, Cheval changed his mind and got a job at the local post office as a postman. The territory that he had to bypass while performing the postman's service was very large. For this reason, the postman even had to spend the night in sheds, or even in the open. A person who had to travel long distances often had to dream in order to at least somehow brighten up his path. It was in his dreams that Cheval built his castle, and only then turned his thoughts into reality.

Regardless of your age, regardless of the complexity of your desire, if you are brave, persistent and hardworking, you will have the confidence to succeed.

The history of the construction of the palace

Joseph-Ferdinand Cheval, being a postman on one of his working days, accidentally stumbled over a stone. He picked up a stone from the ground and was surprised by its bizarre shape. The stone inspired the postman so much that he decided to create an ideal palace from ordinary stones at all costs. From that day on, every time he went along his usual route in order to deliver letters, Cheval collected pebbles in his pocket. However, the dissatisfaction of his wife, expressed in the need to constantly darn pockets, led the postman to use bags to collect stones, and then even a cart. The actions of the postman caused bewilderment among the locals, but they did not yet know what kind of masterpiece would come out of the idea of ​​a simple postman.

The self-taught architect worked on the creation of a masterpiece day and night by the light of kerosene lamps. It took about 20 years to build the outer walls, after which it took another 13 years to create the interior and decoration. During construction, Cheval relied only on his own imagination and imagination. For his passion for construction, many considered him crazy. Despite the opinions of others, the postman went about his business. By creating a bizarre palace, he wanted to show what the perseverance and will of a person is capable of. The result is a real masterpiece - the ideal palace of Ferdinand Cheval.

After 33 years, the author finished his work. By this time, Cheval himself was already about 70 years old. The result of a long construction was a palace 26 meters long, 14 meters wide and about 10 meters high. Cheval wanted to be buried in the palace after his death, but the French government refused to fulfill his desire, motivating the refusal by the fact that such luxurious tombs were not suitable. why that official cemeteries are provided for burials. The refusal of the government prompted him to create a crypt in the local cemetery. After 8 years of hard work, he was able to build a tomb for himself and his wife out of stones.

The ideal palace of Ferdinand Cheval was created from stones, lime, cement and rebar. It is decorated with various sculptures of people and animals, towers and fountains. Cheval planted palm trees and cacti around the palace. Inner and outer aisles and droshky are lined with seashells. The walls have carved inscriptions of various content, for example, one of them sounds like "10,000 days, 9,300 hours, 33 years of hard work."

From different sides of the facade, the palace is decorated with a miniature Hindu temple, a medieval castle, Egyptian temples. The architectural structure combines many different styles such as Romanesque, Muslim or Oriental. The ideal palace of Ferdinand Cheval embodied the tolerance of many cultures, different philosophies, and the harmony of the whole world. Everyone who visited the amazing palace in the village of Hauterives was able to personally communicate with the stubborn and unflappable Cheval through numerous inscriptions engraved on the walls.

It's not time that passes, but we're leaving.

An article about Cheval published in Le Matin in 1905 made the postman a local celebrity, and Ferdinand Cheval's ideal palace became a popular tourist destination. In the article, he spoke about his many years of work that became the property of the nation.

In honor of Cheval, postage stamps with his portrait were issued. In addition, the film by Chris Marker "Le Facteur sonne toujours cheval", filmed in 1992, is dedicated to such a stubborn person. In 1969, the Minister of Culture André Malraux declared the ideal palace of Ferdinand Cheval a historical and cultural monument. Today, anyone can visit the amazing landmark of France.

For more information, visit www.facteurcheval.com

France, Lyon

Ferdinand Cheval was born into a family of farmers in 1836 and served as a postman in the village of Hauterives. For 33 years, at night, he built his Ideal Palace.

The architecture of the building is unique and does not belong to any style - it is completely a flight of fancy of a self-taught architect. Many surrealists were inspired by the creation of Cheval.

“What can you do if you walk the same road every day if you don’t dream?” Cheval said. The palace he built consists of the "Source of Life" fountain, the "Saint Amadeus" cave, a kind of Egyptian tombs, where Cheval wanted to be buried as a pharaoh.

A "tomb of silence and endless rest" was built next to the Egyptian tomb. To balance the facade of the building, Ferdinand built an Egyptian temple, and opposite it a sculpture of the "three giants". Above all the buildings rises the "Barbarian Tower". In addition, a Hindu temple, a Swiss chalet, a medieval castle, a mosque and an Algerian house were built on the territory of the palace. Cheval wanted to make his palace a universal place suitable for every person.

Working mode

• December-January 09:30-16:30
• February-March 09:30-17:30
• April-June 09:30-18:30
• July-August 09:30-19:00
• September 09:30-18:30
• October-November 09:30-17:30

How to get to the Ideal Palace

The ideal palace is located in the village of Hauterives between Lyon and Valence. The nearest train stations are Saint Vallier sur Rhone and Romans sur Isère. From Lyon it takes 45 minutes to Saint Vallier and 55 minutes to Romans sur Isère. From the stations there is a bus to Hauterives (about 40 minutes), you can also order a taxi. In Saint Vallier: Taxis Vallon +(33 4) 75 23 23 23 / in Romans: Taxis Drômois, +(33 4) 75 05 15 05.