Joachim Carvallo
Encyclopedia
Joachim Carvallo was a Spanish
-born doctor
and medical researcher in France
best known as the owner who restored Château de Villandry
and the creator of its spectacular garden
s.
Joachim Carvallo emigrated to Paris
in 1893 to further his studies. While working with a medical research team he met and married in 1899 a medical intern
named Ann Coleman, an American
from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. For a time the couple lived in Paris but in 1906 they bought Château de Villandry in the Indre-et-Loire
in France's Loire Valley
and began their dream of restoring and improving the once magnificent château. After becoming a French citizen, during World War I
the Carvallo's opened part of their property for use as a military hospital and he served in the French Army
as a military doctor. When the war ended, they returned to their restoration work but became most famous for creating what many consider to be one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.
A pioneer in the opening of historic buildings to the public, in 1924 Carvallo founded "La Demeure Historique," the first association for owners of châteaux with historical value. In 1934, Château de Villandry was designated a Monument historique
and has been named by Unesco
as a World Heritage Site
. Today, the gardens are a major tourist attraction, visited by the public at large and horticulturalists from around the world. Henri Carvallo, the doctor's grandson, is the owner of Villandry and continues to enhance and expand the château's gardens.
In 2004, Alix de Guitaut-Vienne published a history of the doctor's lifelong work on the château in a book titled Joachim Carvallo et l'Oeuvre de la demeure historique (ISBN 3-9522154-6-5).
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
-born doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and medical researcher in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
best known as the owner who restored Château de Villandry
Château de Villandry
The Château de Villandry is a castle-palace located in Villandry, in the département of Indre-et-Loire, France.The lands where an ancient fortress once stood were known as Colombier until the 17th century...
and the creator of its spectacular garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s.
Joachim Carvallo emigrated to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1893 to further his studies. While working with a medical research team he met and married in 1899 a medical intern
Medical intern
A medical intern is a term used in the United States for a physician in training who has completed medical school. An intern has a medical degree, but does not have a full license to practice medicine unsupervised...
named Ann Coleman, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. For a time the couple lived in Paris but in 1906 they bought Château de Villandry in the Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire is a department in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers.-History:Indre-et-Loire is one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
in France's Loire Valley
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley , spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. Its area comprises approximately . It is referred to as the Cradle of the French Language, and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and artichoke, asparagus, and...
and began their dream of restoring and improving the once magnificent château. After becoming a French citizen, during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the Carvallo's opened part of their property for use as a military hospital and he served in the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
as a military doctor. When the war ended, they returned to their restoration work but became most famous for creating what many consider to be one of the most beautiful gardens in the world.
A pioneer in the opening of historic buildings to the public, in 1924 Carvallo founded "La Demeure Historique," the first association for owners of châteaux with historical value. In 1934, Château de Villandry was designated a Monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
and has been named by Unesco
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
. Today, the gardens are a major tourist attraction, visited by the public at large and horticulturalists from around the world. Henri Carvallo, the doctor's grandson, is the owner of Villandry and continues to enhance and expand the château's gardens.
In 2004, Alix de Guitaut-Vienne published a history of the doctor's lifelong work on the château in a book titled Joachim Carvallo et l'Oeuvre de la demeure historique (ISBN 3-9522154-6-5).