Mansart

Mansart is a French surname notable in the history of architecture. The name is associated most strongly with two generations of French architects whose work helped shape the classic style of Louis XIV’s court. The term mansard (double-pitched roof) is named after François Mansart, reflecting his influence on French roof architecture, although the technique had earlier precedents.

François Mansart (c. 1598–1666) was a pioneering French architect who helped popularize the refined, symmetrical French Baroque style. His work emphasized proportion and the articulation of façades. Among his notable projects is the Château de Maisons (Maisons-Laffitte), a prototype of the classical country house that influenced later designs.

Jules Hardouin-Mansart (1646–1708) was François’s most prominent successor and a leading architect of Louis XIV’s reign. He served as the principal architect to the crown and directed major expansions at the Palace of Versailles, including the Hall of Mirrors, and the construction of the Grand Trianon. His career helped define late 17th-century French imperial baroque.

The name survives chiefly through these figures and their architectural legacy. In architectural history, the surname is often encountered in combination with the title Hardouin (Hardouin-Mansart). The mansard roof, although named after François Mansart, became a standard element of French and European architecture in the following centuries.