Rouge de Rance
Encyclopedia
Rouge de Rance is a Devonian
red reef limestone
from the town of Rance
in the province of Hainaut (Wallonia, Belgium
).
The red "marble" of Rance
in the Belgian province of Hainaut knew a large popularity as a prestigious building material for decorative use. Although it was exploited since Roman Antiquity it became most renowned since the 17th century because of its prolific use in the Royal Chateau of Versailles
built for the French king Louis XIV. Large quantities were used for the most prestigious parts of the building, including the interior wall decoration of the "Galerie des Glaces" (Hall of Mirrors) and the columns of the main portico
on the "Cour des Marbres" (Marble Courtyard). To satisfy the vast demand needed for Versailles and other French royal residences a new quarry was opened and subsequently named "Trou de Versailles" (hole of Versailles).
Since the 18th century "Rouge de Rance" was also popular as a material for fireplaces and clocks, and as a top for furniture such as commode
s, tables or Several Belgian red limestones, including "Rouge de Rance" were later marketed under the main name "Rouge Belge
" (Belgian Red). These limestone varieties are commonly referred to as "red marble", although they are not real marble
s but sedimentary rock
s.
The exploitation of the quarries in Rance stopped in the 1950's. A museum on Belgian Marbles was opened in Rance in 1979.
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
red reef limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
from the town of Rance
Sivry-Rance
Sivry-Rance is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Sivry-Rance had a total population of 4,597. The total area is 72.97 km² which gives a population density of 63 inhabitants per km²....
in the province of Hainaut (Wallonia, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
).
Sivry-Rance
Sivry-Rance is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Sivry-Rance had a total population of 4,597. The total area is 72.97 km² which gives a population density of 63 inhabitants per km²....
in the Belgian province of Hainaut knew a large popularity as a prestigious building material for decorative use. Although it was exploited since Roman Antiquity it became most renowned since the 17th century because of its prolific use in the Royal Chateau of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
built for the French king Louis XIV. Large quantities were used for the most prestigious parts of the building, including the interior wall decoration of the "Galerie des Glaces" (Hall of Mirrors) and the columns of the main portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
on the "Cour des Marbres" (Marble Courtyard). To satisfy the vast demand needed for Versailles and other French royal residences a new quarry was opened and subsequently named "Trou de Versailles" (hole of Versailles).
Since the 18th century "Rouge de Rance" was also popular as a material for fireplaces and clocks, and as a top for furniture such as commode
Commode
A commode, commode with legs, or commode on legs is any of several pieces of furniture. The word commode comes from the French word for "convenient" or "suitable", which in turn comes from the Latin adjective commodus, with similar meanings.Originally, in French furniture, a commode introduced...
s, tables or Several Belgian red limestones, including "Rouge de Rance" were later marketed under the main name "Rouge Belge
Rouge Belge
"Rouge Belge" is a collective noun designating diverse Devonian red limestone varieties found in Wallonia .Some names refer more specifically to the quarry were the material was found like the renowned "Rouge de Rance". Also Rouge Royal is a Belgian red limestone with a specific pattern of white...
" (Belgian Red). These limestone varieties are commonly referred to as "red marble", although they are not real marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
s but sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
s.
Sources
- "Les marbres belges à Versailles", by Prof. Eric Groessens (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) - "Les matériaux de construction de Belgique et du Nord de la France", by Prof. Eric Groessens (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
) - Marble museum of Rance (in FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
)