The demonstration of the luxury of the French Empire in the Palace of Versailles is striking in its scale. This ensemble is included in all textbooks on landscape art as a standard. In the halls there are luxurious apartments, in the fresh air there are beautiful views and landscapes. There is something to see here.
History of creation
More than one architect worked on the appearance of Versailles, as is the case with the construction of palaces. The birth of the Versailles miracle of architecture and landscape began a little less than four centuries ago. The French king Louis XIII liked to hunt in the forests surrounding the small village of Versailles, which is 20 kilometers from Paris. For a halt for tired hunters, he decided to build a small castle there. This building became the first castle of the king in Versailles.
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Versailles turned into a royal residence only during the reign of Louis XIV, or as he was called the Sun King.
When he was 20 years old, in 1662 he decided to create an architectural and park masterpiece here, following the example of the one built by the then French finance minister Nicolas Fouquet, only a hundred times better. He invited the same architect as Fouquet – Louis de Vaux.
The master of landscape art Andre Le Nôtre worked on the park, who had already created the famous Vaux-le-Vicomte by that time. To create the park, 800 hectares of swamps had to be drained. In this ensemble, the main thing was not even the castle itself, but the combination of the palace and the park in the same style.
In 1682, the king, along with all the courtiers, began to live in the Palace of Versailles. From this moment, the once small town begins to turn into a royal residence, sparkling with its luxury. But forty-year-old Louis XIV, the palace begins to seem not majestic enough. He invites the then very famous architect Jules Hardouin Mansart, who orders him to change the appearance of the palace as soon as possible.
For this, two five-hundred-meter wings were completed, two floors were added. The royal bedroom was located on the second floor. The famous mirror gallery, also created by Mansart, was closed by the halls of War and Peace. The building has completely changed, becoming grandiose. The balance between the grand scale of the park and the palace was achieved. The ensemble turned out to be majestic, as it should be to demonstrate the greatness of the monarch.
Halls of the Palace of Versailles
All accounts related to the construction of Versailles have survived to this day. The estimated amount spent on the construction of Versailles, according to experts, is, in terms of modern money, about 260 billion euros. Most of this amount was spent on the interior decoration of the halls and galleries.
In the stunning Hall of Mirrors, on a seventy-meter wall, there are 17 very large and beautiful mirrors separated by gilded lamps in the form of sculptures. In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed here, which determined the post-war fate of European states. The chapel, decorated in white and gold baroque style, was the wedding venue of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
All halls and chambers are decorated with great luxury and elegance. Every corner, including the ceiling and walls, is covered with wood and marble carvings. Everything is decorated with frescoes, paintings, sculptures. There is an opera and a theater in the palace with a large oval hall, illuminated by 10,000 candles.
Be sure to visit the queen's chambers in the northern wing of the palace. Each centimeter of them is decorated with gilding.
It is interesting that the center of the palace was not the throne room and not even the office. All important decisions were made in the royal bedroom.
Park of the Palace of Versailles
The day flies by unnoticed if you walk in the palace park. Absolutely everything here speaks of care and concern. Carefully trimmed trees are planted along the Grand Canal. The setting sun is reflected in the water surface.
The garden sculptures are selected with great art. There are 50 beautiful fountains in the park.
The fountains don't always work. Before visiting Versailles, you need to check the timetable on the website. But if you get to this festival of music and water, then remember this show forever. Fountain jets synchronously dance to the music. On summer Saturday evenings, light shows with fountains and fireworks are held here.
Against the backdrop of these well-groomed gardens, fountains, lakes, ponds, carefully selected flowers in the flower beds, turn on your imagination and you will find yourself at the ball of the royal court.
Other sights of Versailles
On the side opposite the palace are the Small and Big Trianon. Trianon in translation is a small elegant villa.
Louis XIV built the Grand Trianon from pink marble, a one-story Italian-style pavilion surrounded by a garden. In the main palace, the king even had to dine with a large crowd of spectators. Trianon was to be a place of seclusion.
The Petit Trianon is a rather simple building, built in 1773 by the order of Louis XV by the architect Gabriel for Madame du Barry.
Later, it became a favorite haunt of Marie Antoinette, who also wanted to retire from the formalities of the main palace. Behind this pavilion on the shore of the pond, she arranged a small village with a dairy farm.
Working hours
The opening hours of the Palace of Versailles are best viewed on the website. It usually operates from April to October from 9:00 to 18:30, the rest of the time from 9:00 to 17:30, except Mondays.
Ticket price
The entrance to the park is free. But during the days of the fountain, it will cost about 8€. There are several types of tickets for visiting the palace and other buildings. You can visit the palace separately and see its halls, the Mirror Gallery, the chambers of the king and queen. A full ticket to visit on the days of the fountains costs more than on other days.
How to get on your own
There are several ways to get to the palace:
Take the RER yellow line C to the terminus Versailles-Rive Gauche. After leaving the station, turn right and go along the royal street to the main entrance of the park.
By train from Gare Montparnase or Gare St-Lazar stations respectively to Versailles-Chantiers or Versailles-Rive Droite stations.
From the Pont de Sevres metro station, take bus number 171 to Place d Armes in the city of Versailles.
It is also possible by car along the A13 highway.
Use the services of kiwitaxi and at the airport, at the specified time, the driver will be waiting for you, help with luggage and promptly take you to the hotel. Several classes of cars are available – from economy to Minibus with 19 seats. The price is fixed and does not depend on the number of passengers and the address within Paris. Taxi from / to the airport is a convenient and comfortable way to get to the right place.
Palace of Versailles on the map
Palace of Versailles video
Have a nice ball surrounded by beautiful scenery!
If you really liked the sights of France, then you should ask about obtaining a visa – read more on our website.