Medici column
The Medici column is a monument in
History
The column was built in 1575 by Jean Bullant at the request of Catherine de' Medici.[2] It is believed it may be a tribute to Henri II, who was killed after a prediction was made by Nostradamus. Catherine also had a love for astrology and when Nostradamus left Paris, she asked to have the column built so that Cosimo Ruggieri could use it.[2]
Description
The fluted column is 28 meters high. Inside are 147 spiral steps which lead to a viewing platform. It used to have a glass roof. Now the platform is covered with an iron frame. The four corners of the columns top match the four points of a compass. The column was not an original part of the plan when Catherine de' Medici was planning the building of her home, the Hôtel de Soissons, to which the column connected.[2]
Location
Located near the Les Halles .
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References
- ^ Base Mérimée: PA00085839, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French) Ancien hôtel de Soissons
- ^ ISBN 978-2915807172.