Jules Hardouin-Mansart was the chief architect of France under the reign of Louis XIV. He earned his fame by his marvelous plans, exactitude and versatility.
He was born in Paris in 1646. He took the name of his uncle, the architect François Mansart, he even studied under his uncle after whom the mansard roof was named. He was worked for directly the king since 1677 and became First Architect of the King in 1681 was also raised to the nobility in 1682.
His buildings were perfectly fit for the requirements of the baroque era and the grandiose visualizations of the Sun-king. He was a versatile architect, since he designed castles, urban squares, churches, just like private houses and pavilions. He demonstrated an ability to adapt, modify, enlarge and rehabilitate, without losing the character of the original building, but adding his own original variations on the theme. His architecture is characterized by large smooth spaces, the repetition of arcades and detached columns – he used these to give an air of grandeur to the interiors. He selected very well the collaborators to work with during a building (e.g. Le Notre, Le Brune, Cotte). He keenly used the mansard roof also. His main works: Les Invalides, Grand Trianon, Place Vendôme, Palace of Versailles.
He died in Marly-le-Roi in 1708.