Rohan Palace: A French Baroque Masterpiece

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we visit a notable example of Baroque residential architecture outside of Paris.

An aerial view of the Rohan Palace in Strasbourg shows the Parisian-style, hôtel particulier design with a walled courtyard. What appears to be the palace's main doorway is the courtyard entrance through a pavilion on the street. The palace is primarily built with yellow sandstone from Wasselonne, a town in Bas-Rhin, France, and pink sandstone is used for the less visible architectural elements. PhotoFires/Shutterstock

Rohan Palace is among the most important works of French Baroque architecture. Idyllically located beside the cathedral in Strasbourg, France, the palace began as a new home for the city’s bishops.

In 1727, Cardinal Armand de Rohan, (who was also the Prince-Bishop of Strasbourg and a member of the House of Roh), commissioned architect Robert de Cotte to design the new palace in the French Baroque style. De Cotte started his education as a student of Jules Hardouin-Mansart—the primary architect of Versailles—before becoming his junior partner and eventual successor as chief royal architect.