Assignment #2- Vaux-le-Vicomte

The Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a French Baroque Chateau
located in Maincy, just 55km southeast of Paris, France. It was built
from 1658 to 1661 for Nicholas Fouquet,
a superintendent of finances of Louis XIV.


In 1875, Alfred Sommier acquired Vaux-le-Vicomte at a public Auction. The chateau was empty and fallen to ruin. The famous garden were overgrown and nearly destroyed. The restoration went underway under the direction of architect Gabriel-Hippoltye Destailleur.











In 1908 Sommier died and the gardens and chateau had been restored to their orginal appearance. Today, his descendants continue to work on the preservation, and the chateau remains private property, however visitors are welcome.

Assignment Number One- Ca' d'Oro

Ca' d'Oro is one of the most beautiful palazzzo's located on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy. Ca' d'Oro means golden house, but is also correctly called the Palazzo Santa Sofia. The name Golden House is due to the gilt and polychrome external decorations, which once adorned the interior walls. This gliding orginally decorated the Cana Grande facade. Ca' d'Oro was building between 1425 and 1434, for the procurator Marino Contarini. The principal facade of Ca' d'Oro facing onto the Grand canal is built in Gothic style. In 1922 the palazzo was bequeathed to the State by the last owner Giorgio Franchetti who had acquired the buildig in 1894. Following great restoration, especially the complete restoration of the stairway, the building was opened to the public to be viewd as a gallery.