Doesn’t the name, Villa de la Citadelle, evoke images of a fortress? This villa in Paris is not actually a fortified stronghold. It is a residential building. It is designed to resemble a besieged fortress.
The Villa de la Citadelle stands in the 13th arrondissement of Paris. It is located at 152, avenue d’Italie and 2-14, rue du Tage. Construction was completed in 1984. The Villa de la Citadelle represents a semi-collapsed tower. It defends against the excesses of post-war architecture.
The building has sloping four-sided roofs. They mirror classic Parisian roofs. A mirror on the gable end masks the adjacent tower block. It replaces it with the sky and sun. The Villa de la Citadelle has eight stories. It rises to an estimated height of 21 meters. The land area covers 2,850 square meters. The architect designed the building with 80 intermediate housing units.
The RIVP served as the project owner. The operation cost 26 million French francs. It is designed like a fortress. Imagine living in a place that looks like it is under siege. The Villa de la Citadelle offers a unique living experience. It is more than just an apartment building. It is a statement. It challenges conventional architecture. It reminds us to question the spaces we inhabit. It was listed as a historical monument since 1975.
The Villa Windsor is another villa in Paris. It is located at 4 route du Champ d’Entraînement. It is also known as Château Le Bois. It is a French Neoclassical-style building with fourteen rooms. It has a large tree-filled garden. Roger Bouvard built it from 1928 to 1929. Henri Lillaz was the first owner.
General Charles de Gaulle and his family occupied the house until 1946. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor lived there from 1953. The City of Paris leased the villa to the Windsors at a nominal rent. Maison Jansen refurbished the home. Mohamed Al-Fayed signed a fifty-year lease on the villa in 1986. He extensively refurbished and restored it. The Mansart Foundation now manages the house. It plans to open it to the public in 2025.
Lille also has a Citadelle. It is known as the “Queen of the Citadels”. Louis XIV ordered its construction. It was built between 1667 and 1670. The Marquis de Vauban laid the foundation stone. The Citadel was part of a vast defensive network. It defended Paris from its enemies. Today, the heart of the Citadel is closed to the public. It houses the Rapid Reaction Corps-France.