Aesculus hippocastanum
Occupying the site of the "Galerie d'Eau" (1678), the "Galerie des Antiques" was designed in 1680 to house the collection of antique statues and copies of antique statues acquired by the "Académie de France" in Rome. Surrounding a central area paved with colored stone, a channel was decorated with twenty statues on plinths each separated by three jets of water. The galerie was completely remodeled in 1704 when the statues were transferred to Marly and the bosquet was replanted with horse chestnut trees ("Aesculus hippocastanum") – hence the current name "Salle des Marronniers" (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).