Its construction was started by Catherine de Médicis in 1564. Its architect was Philibert de l'Orme.
Louis XIV resided there while the Palace of Versailles was under construction.
During the French Revolution, Louis XVI and his family were forced to live there under house arrest, starting in October 1789. They tried to escape on the evening of June 20, 1791, but were captured at Varennes and were returned to the Tuileries.
The Tuileries were later stormed on August 10, 1792.
After his assession to power, Napoleon I made it his main residence.
Supporters of the Paris Commune destroyed most of the palace in 1871.
Today, the gardens, formerly west of the palace, remain. The Tuileries Gardens (French Jardins des Tuileries) are surrounded by the Louvre, the Seine, the Place de la Concorde and the Rue de Rivoli. They are part of the Axe historique.
The Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume is a museum of contemporary art located in the north-west corner of the gardens.