Belvedere, Italian word signifying ‘beautiful view’. Ordinarily a small structure situated at one end of a garden or park where one can take the air and take refuge from the sun or inclement weather. Most belvederes consist of an open-air sitting room such as those one might view in several of our royal residences. Others, a single room, either moon-shaped or circular with doors and window crossbars, like the Aurora pavilion at Sceaux. Still others comprise several rooms: hallways, sitting rooms, studies, bedrooms, closets, like the one located in the Menagerie at Sceaux, so-called because the building is situated in the middle of the estate vegetable garden and in close proximity to the stables and poultry yard.

When a noble perspective, fertile farm land, meadows and valleys combine to show nature to its best advantage, and when all these different prospects — the true splendor of the countryside — are located a fair distance from the main house, it is not uncommon for a belvedere to comprise several apartments facilitating intimate get-togethers, but in this case the building is ordinarily called a trianon . See Trianon.

The exterior decoration of a belvedere should be simple and rustic. As for the interior, the walls should be lined with marble or Portland stone rather than sculpted panels, unless, that is, the pavilion is close enough to the main house so as to be frequented all year long either by the owners or their guests. [1]

In landscape architecture, belvedere may also refer to a lookout point built on a mountain side or terrace. It can also be a raised platform on a grassy slope from which a fine view may be enjoyed, hence the name. There is a lovely palace-styled belvedere in the gardens at Bagnolet, and in those of Meudon, Saint-Cloud and Marly. Some few are entirely made of turf.

1. The editors indicate that Blondel’s text ends here; the last paragraph was added by Desallier d’Argenville.