Grand commun, Historic building for public administration in Versailles, France
The Grand Commun is a large administrative building in Versailles featuring multiple wings that surround a central courtyard. Its structure combines brick and stone walls arranged across several levels to form a unified complex.
Jules Hardouin-Mansart constructed this building between 1682 and 1684 as a facility for kitchens and palace staff housing. Later it served as a weapons factory during the French Revolution and subsequently functioned as a military hospital.
The building underwent multiple transformations, from a weapons manufacturing facility during the French Revolution to a military hospital named after Dominique Larrey.
This building connects to the main palace through an underground passage and now houses administrative services. Visitors can approach from the palace grounds to see its exterior and surrounding courtyard area.
Archaeological excavations in 2006 uncovered remains of a tennis court built for Louis XIII in 1630 and a medieval cemetery beneath the site. These discoveries reveal the location had been in use for centuries before the current structure was built.
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