Clément Métezeau

Clément II Métezeau (1581-1652).

Clément Métezeau.

The seawall designed by Clément Métezeau for the Siege of La Rochelle.

Clément Métezeau (French pronunciation: [klemɑ̃ metəzo]; 1581–1652), also Clément II Métezeau, was Royal architect of Louis XIII, and French engineer who completed the seawall blocking the city of La Rochelle in the Siege of La Rochelle in 1627–1628.

The initial idea for blocking the channel leading to the harbour of La Rochelle in order to stop all supplies to the city came from the Italian engineer Pompeo Targone, but his structure was broken by the winter weather. The endeavour was finally taken up by the Royal architect Clément Métezeau (also Metzeau).^[1]

The Métezeau seawall at the Siege of La Rochelle.

The wall was built on top of a foundation made of sunken hulks, filled with rubble. The construction involved 4,000 workmen, and the seawall was 1,400 metres long. French artillery installed on the seawall and used against English ships that tried to supply the city.

Métezeau was also involved in the building of the Palais du Luxembourg for Marie de Medicis: he was sent to Florence by the main architect Salomon de Brosse to make drawings of the Palazzo Pitti, which was to be used as a model by the regent's order.^[2][3][4]

Clément Métezeau also built the Classical facade of the Église Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais of Paris, in 1621.^[5]

Notes

1. ^ Duffy, p.118 [1]
2. ^ Concrete by Peter Collins, Kenneth Frampton, Réjean Legault, p.166 [2]
3. ^ The Architecture of the Renaissance by Leonardo Benevolo, p.706 [3]
4. ^ The architecture of Paris by Andrew Ayers, p.130 [4]
5. ^ France by Michelin p.358 [5]

Persondata
Name	Clement Metezeau
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1581
Place of birth
Date of death	1652
Place of death