Palace of the Dukes of Lorraine and Lorraine Museum

The palace of the dukes of Lorraine and the Lorraine Museum

The Nancy audio-guided tour has you discover the palace of the dukes of Lorraine, dazzling proof that before Stanislas, the city already had everything of a great ducal city. This building today houses the Lorraine Museum, guardian of the history of the region.

The cradle of ducal power

The history of the palace begins in the medieval era, when Gérard I, the first hereditary duke of Lorraine, decided to concentrate his possessions by creating a stronghold in Nancy. Over the centuries, the ducal palace was enlarged and embellished, notably during the Renaissance, of which its magnificent sculpted gatehouse still bears witness. It was the heart of Lorraine power before Stanislas transformed the city in the eighteenth century.

What there is to see

The Renaissance gatehouse, richly sculpted and surmounted by an equestrian statue, is one of the jewels of Nancy architecture. Inside, the Lorraine Museum presents the rich collections retracing the history, the art and the traditions of Lorraine, from the Middle Ages to today. It is an essential visit to understand the ducal past of the city, in the heart of the Old Town.

Practical information

The palace of the dukes of Lorraine and the Lorraine Museum are on the Grande Rue, in the Old Town of Nancy. The gatehouse can be contemplated freely from the street; the visit of the museum follows its own schedule, with a charge, whose opening times may vary with the season and any works.

Who founded the palace of the dukes of Lorraine?

Gérard I, the first hereditary duke of Lorraine, who established a stronghold in Nancy in the medieval era, at the origin of the palace.

What does the palace of the dukes of Lorraine house today?

The Lorraine Museum, which retraces the history, the art and the traditions of Lorraine, from the Middle Ages to today.