The Château Perrier, a historic monument and former home of champagne merchants, provides an exceptional architectural and landscape setting for the 2,000 objects on display and can also be discovered during the visit.
Built between 1852 and 1857 by the Sparnacan architect Pierre-Eugène Cordier, Château Perrier is the first example of the Eclectic architectural style in this region.
The four facades are inspired by French Renaissance architecture and the Louis XIII style, similar to buildings in Paris such as the Palais du Luxembourg, the Palais des Tuileries or the Lescot wing of the Louvre. The sculpted decorations are brought to life by the interplay of the colours of the materials: brick, stone, slate and glass.
The collections present the wealth of cultural heritage in the region over four subjects: the formation of the countryside and the chalky Champagne subsoil, archaeological traces left behind by humans in Champagne, creation and history of wine in Champagne and patrons and explorers of the 19th century and the Belle Époque.
References:The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.