Porte Dorée

The Palais de la Porte Dorée is a striking example of Art Deco architecture that was constructed in just eighteen months for the 1931 International Colonial Exhibition. It was designed by architect Albert Laprade to serve as a permanent monument to the French colonial empire, meant to project an image of power and unity to the millions of visitors who flocked to the exhibition. Today, the building remains a rare survivor of the event, as almost all of the other structures built for the exposition were demolished once the spectacle concluded.