The origin of the name. The palace owes its name to its T-shaped form ("tau" in Greek), a name that was first recorded in 1131.
The tradition of coronation. In commemoration of the baptism of Clovis by Saint Remi at Reims in around 496, it became a custom to crown the Kings of France here.
The architecture of the palace. The palace was already in existence during Antiquity. It was altered several times before being transformed into a classical palace between 1671 and 1710, under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis XIV's leading architect, and Robert de Cotte, his pupil and main collaborator.
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