One of the most famous examples of naive art architecture is Le Palais Ideal, built by Ferdinand Cheval, a French Postman who spent 33 precious years his life building this monumental. Out of these 33 Years of his life, two decades were spent on building the outer walls only.
Ideal Palace (Le Palais Idéal) started getting build way back in in April 1879 and while doing his job, the postman tripped over a stone. Ferdinand Cheval was immensely impressed with the abnormal shape of the stone and was so motivated that he returned the next day and started carrying other rocks and putting them in his pockets. Over a period of time he then started gathering them in “BASKETS” and then continued carrying them, in a “wheelbarrow“.
Despite of the fact that he lacked any kind of architectural skills, whatsoever Ferdinand Cheval still went on to build his Ideal Palace, by collaborating his thoughts with several styles and took inspiration from Bible and Hindu mythology, as well.
He attached the stones together using lime, mortar and cement and ultimately decorated the stones with all sorts of chapel and temple models.
Cheval’s palace was renowned as a masterwork and is now a recognized as France’s one of the most popular tourist attractions and of course as a Cultural Sign of France.
Though it is illegal in France, yet just because Cheval was personally very attached with his masterpiece that always wished to be buried in his palace. Eventually he had to spend eight more years building a mausoleum for himself in the cemetery of Hauterives, where he’s buried after he died on back August 19, 1924, which is only about an a year after he had finished building it.
