The Palace of Versailles symbolizes the greatness of the French crown. How did the kings live?
What is interesting about Versailles in the vicinity of Paris. What to see and do in the palace itself and the surrounding park, all the interesting places of Versailles.
Even in France, with its abundance of architectural masterpieces, the Palace of Versailles is a monument of absolutely exceptional beauty and historical significance. The king spent a colossal amount on the construction of the palace, amounting to 260 billion euros in today’s money, and the area of the internal halls alone reaches 67,000 square meters. meters. A visit to Versailles is a must for all tourists who are lucky enough to spend more than one day in Paris. Those who doubt this will be convinced by the following 10 reasons to visit the favorite residence of Louis XIV, nicknamed the Sun King.
Popular excursions to Versailles
The most interesting excursions are routes from local residents to Tripster. It’s more interesting to start with (see all the interesting places and outline walking routes). And then set aside a day for a trip to the palace of Louis XIV: - 4-hour tour of the palace halls and park.
Palace of Versailles: 10 most interesting places
1. Role model
When, by order of the Sun King, the construction of the palace at Versailles began in 1661, he hardly expected that the completion of construction and finishing work would take place under his successors. The palace complex was supposed to demonstrate the power and greatness of royal power. The architects of Versailles - L. Levo and A. Le Nôtre - managed to design a building in the spirit of classicism, striking not only in size, but also in its internal harmony. The aristocratic beauty of the facades was organically combined with the luxury of the interior decoration and a park that had no equal in Europe.
Very quickly, Versailles acquired a reputation as the ideal home of a monarch, and the rulers of other countries wanted to build something similar.
Being impressed by the residence of the French kings, Peter the Great erected his symbol of imperial greatness in Peterhof. Not only the Peterhof Palace, but also the park had to surpass the French model, and, admittedly, this was possible thanks to the Grand Canal. If it were not for the Palace of Versailles, the residence of the Savoy kings - Venaria Reale near Turin, and one of the pearls of Bavaria - the residence of Ludwig II Herenkiemsee, would not have been built. Even centuries later, Versailles continued to inspire kings and architects.
2. Excursions in Russian
Huge queue of tourists at Versailles
Before visiting Versailles, it is not necessary to immerse yourself in historical monographs and download a map of the area: in Paris it is easy to find both group and individual excursions with transfer. Their topics are varied. If you want, they will tell you in great detail the history of the construction of Versailles, or if you want, they will tell you the secrets of the relationship between kings and their favorites. There are excursions to Louis XIV's Versailles and Marie Antoinette's Versailles, to the Russian places of Versailles (yes, there are such), to the park, etc. Their cost depends on the program and duration: the most inexpensive one will cost € 40-50. But the main advantage of visiting the palace with a tour is the opportunity to get inside without queuing; the guide will take care of tickets in advance.
Travel agencies offering excursions to Versailles are widely represented on the Internet: you can search on Google, or on. By booking a tour in advance, you will avoid queues and be able to explore the palace with maximum comfort.
By the way, tickets cannot be called very expensive: a visit to one palace costs € 18, and a comprehensive tour, including the palace, Trianons and garden - € 20.
3. Transport accessibility
If in the 17th century. Versailles was considered a separate settlement, but today it is actually a suburb of Paris: the palace and the capital are separated from each other by less than 20 km. Getting to Versailles on your own is very easy: just take one of the RER trains (line C), departing every 20 minutes.
A train ticket costs only € 7, travel time is about 40 minutes. Another train departs from the Saint-Lazare and Montparance stations - SNCF (travel time - 35 minutes, ticket price about € 3.5), but the station where it arrives is located quite far from the palace complex. Bus No. 171 also goes to Versailles: it is not only cheaper than the train (only € 3), but also drives up almost to the very entrance.
4. Mirror Gallery at Versailles
The Mirror Gallery, stretching along the facade, is one of the main rooms of the palace. Here kings held lavish balls and receptions; weddings were celebrated and petitions accepted. It is impossible to list all the historical and significant events associated with the Mirror Gallery. Thus, within these walls, Louis XV met the future Madame de Pompadour in 1745, and in 1919, the peace treaty signed here put an end to the First World War.
Little has changed in the gallery since the time of Louis XIV: 357 mirrors still reflect the gilded decor, 17 huge windows still open onto the garden, and giant crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The only thing missing is silver furniture, which was melted down back in the 17th century, but its absence is compensated by gilded statues, luxurious vases and magnificent paintings on the ceiling vaults, reaching a height of 10.5 m. Since the length of the gallery is 73 m (width - 11 m) , then it is no wonder that while the courtiers walked at a leisurely pace from one end to the other, romances managed to flare up between them and intrigues matured.
Palace of Versailles on the map of Paris
Versailles is located at Place d’Armes, Versailles, France.
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The display of luxury of the French Empire at the Palace of Versailles is amazing in its scale. This ensemble is included in all textbooks on landscape art as a standard. There are luxurious apartments in the halls, beautiful views and landscapes in the fresh air. There's a lot to see here.
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More than one architect worked on the appearance of Versailles, as happens when building palaces. The birth of the Versailles miracle of architecture and landscape began a little less than four centuries ago. The French king Louis XIII loved to hunt in the forests surrounding the small village of Versailles, 20 kilometers from Paris. To rest the tired hunters, he decided to build a small castle there. This building became the first king's castle in Versailles.
Versailles became 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 Minister of Finance 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, who by that time had already created the famous Vaux-le-Vicomte, worked on the park. 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 one style.
In 1682, the king, along with all his courtiers, began to live in the Palace of Versailles. From this moment on, the once small town begins to turn into a royal residence, sparkling with its luxury. But to the forty-year-old Louis XIV, the palace begins to seem insufficiently majestic. 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 purpose, two five-hundred-meter wings were completed and two floors were added. The royal bedroom was located on the second floor. The famous mirror gallery, also created by Mansart, closed with the halls of War and Peace. The building has completely changed, becoming grandiose. A balance was achieved between the grandiose scale of the park and the palace. 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 about 260 billion euros in modern terms. 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 site of the wedding of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
All halls and chambers are decorated with great luxury and grace. 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 theater in the palace with a large oval hall illuminated by 10,000 candles.
You should definitely visit the queen's chambers in the northern wing of the palace. Every centimeter of them is decorated with gold.
It is interesting that the center of the palace was not the throne room or even the office. All important decisions were made in the royal bedroom.
Park of the Palace of Versailles
The day flies by if you walk through 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.
Garden sculptures were selected with great skill. There are 50 beautiful fountains in the park.
The fountains do not always work. Before visiting Versailles, you should check the schedule on the website. But if you find yourself at this festival of music and water, you will remember this show forever. The jets of the fountains dance synchronously to the music. On summer Saturday evenings there are light shows with fountains and fireworks.
Against the backdrop of these well-kept gardens, fountains, lakes, ponds, and carefully selected flowers in the flower beds, turn on your imagination and you will find yourself at a royal court ball.
Other sights of Versailles
On the side opposite the palace are the Small and Grand Trianon. Trianon translated means 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 in front of a large crowd of spectators. The Trianon was supposed to be a place of solitude.
The Petit Trianon is a rather simple building, built in 1773 by order of Louis XV by the architect Gabriel for Madame du Barry.
Later it became the favorite place 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 built a small village with a dairy farm.
Working hours
It is better to check the opening hours of the Palace of Versailles on the website. It is usually open 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
Admission to the park is free. But on days the fountain is open 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 explore its halls, the Mirror Gallery, and the chambers of the king and queen. A full ticket for visiting on days when the fountains are open costs more than on other days.
How to get there on your own
There are several ways to get to the palace:
Take the RER metro yellow line C to the Versailles-Rive Gauche terminus. Leaving the station, turn right and follow Royal Street to the main entrance of the park.
By train from the Gare Montparnase or Gare St-Lazar stations, respectively, to the Versailles-Chantiers or Versailles-Rive Droite stations.
From Pont de Sevres metro station, take bus number 171 to Place d Armes in Versailles.
It is also possible by car on the A13 highway.
Use kiwitaxi services and at the airport, at the specified time, a driver will be waiting for you, help with your 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 address within Paris. A taxi from/to the airport is a convenient and comfortable way to get to your desired location.
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And in general, looking at the palaces of France, we cannot help but look into the most probably famous palace and park complex in France. Let it be known to everyone, you have heard a lot about it, but let’s take a virtual look there for a couple of minutes.
Versailles- this name is associated throughout the world with the idea of the most significant and magnificent palace, erected by the will of one monarch. The Versailles palace and park ensemble, a recognized masterpiece of world heritage, is quite young - it is only three and a half centuries old. The Palace and Park of Versailles is one of the outstanding architectural ensembles in the history of world architecture. The layout of the vast park, the territory associated with the Palace of Versailles, is the pinnacle of French park art, and the palace itself is a first-class architectural monument. A galaxy of brilliant masters worked on this ensemble. They created a complex, complete architectural complex, which included a monumental palace building and a number of park structures of “small forms”, and, most importantly, a park that was exceptional in its compositional integrity.
The Versailles ensemble is a highly characteristic and striking work of French classicism of the 17th century. The palace and park ensemble of Versailles is the greatest architectural monument of the 17th century, which had a strong influence on the urban planning thought of the 18th century. Versailles in general became a kind of “ideal city”, which the authors of the Renaissance dreamed and wrote about and which, through the will of Louis XIV, the “Sun King”, and the art of his architects and gardeners, turned out to be realized in reality, and in close proximity to Paris. But let's talk about everything in more detail...
Mention of Versailles first appeared in a charter of 1038 issued by the Abbey of St. Peter. It spoke of a certain lord Hugo of Versailles, the owner of a small castle and the surrounding areas. The emergence of the first settlement - a small village around the castle - is usually dated to the mid-11th century. Another village soon grew up around the Church of St. Julian.
The 13th century (especially the years of the reign of Saint Louis) for Versailles, as well as for the whole of Northern France, became a century of prosperity. However, the subsequent 14th century brought with it a terrible plague epidemic and the Hundred Years' War between England and France. All these misfortunes brought Versailles into a very deplorable state: by the end of the 14th century, its population numbered just over 100 people. It began to recover only in the next 15th century.
Versailles as an architectural and park ensemble did not arise immediately; it was not created by one architect, like many palaces of the 17th-18th centuries that imitated him. At the end of the 16th century, Versailles was a small village in the forest, where he sometimes hunted Henry IV. Ancient chronicles report that at the beginning of the 17th century, Versailles was a village with a population of about 500 people; a mill then stood on the site of the future palace, and fields and endless swamps stretched all around. In 1624 it was built on behalf of Louis XIII, by the architect Philibert Le Roy, a small hunting castle near a village called Versailles.
Near it there was a medieval dilapidated castle - the property of the house of Gondi. Saint-Simon in his memoirs calls this ancient Versailles castle a “house of cards.” But soon this castle was rebuilt by the architect Lemercier by order of the king. At the same time, Louis XIII acquired the Gondi site along with the dilapidated archbishop's palace and demolished it to expand his park. The small castle was located 17 kilometers from Paris. It was a U-shaped structure with a moat. In front of the castle there were four buildings made of stone and brick with metal bars on the balconies. The courtyard of the old castle, which later received the name Mramorny, has survived to this day. The first gardens of the Versailles Park were laid out by Jacques Boisseau and Jacques de Menoir.
In the mid-16th century, the only lord of Versailles was Martial de Lomeny, Minister of Finance under King Charles IX. Charles granted him the right to hold four annual fairs in Versailles and open a weekly market (on Thursdays). The population of Versailles, which was still a small village, at this time was about 500 people. However, the French religious wars between Catholics and Protestants led to a quick change of the seigneurial dynasty. Martial was arrested for his sympathies towards the Huguenots (French Protestants) and thrown into prison. Here he was visited by the Duke de Retz, Albert de Gondi, who had long been nurturing plans to seize the Versailles territories. Through threats, he forced de Lomeny to sign a document according to which the latter ceded Versailles to him at a negligible price.
At the beginning of the 17th century, King Louis XIII began to frequently visit Versailles, who took great pleasure in hunting in the local forests. In 1623, he ordered the construction of a small castle where hunters could stop for a rest. This building became the first royal palace in Versailles. On April 8, 1632, Louis XIII completely bought the seigneury from the last Versailles owner, Jean-François de Gondi, for 66,000 livres. In the same year, the king appointed his valet Arnaud as governor of Versailles. In 1634, the architect Philibert le Roy was commissioned to rebuild the old Versailles castle into a royal palace. However, despite the changes that took place, by the end of the reign of Louis XIII, Versailles did not change its appearance much. It, as before, was a small village.
Everything changed with the accession to the throne of the king - the sun, Louis XIV. It was during the reign of this monarch (1643-1715) that Versailles became a city and a favorite royal residence.
In 1662, Versailles began to be built according to Le Nôtre's plan. Andre Le Nôtre(1613-1700) by this time had already become famous as a builder of country estates with regular parks (in Vaux-le-Vicomte, Saux, Saint-Cloud, etc.). It is interesting that in 1655-1661 N. Fouquet, the largest financier of absolutist France, according to the project of the architect Louis le Vaux rebuilt his country castle. The main thing in the palace and park ensemble of Vaux-le-Vicomte was not even the palace itself (at that time quite modest), but the general principle of creating a country residence. The whole of it was turned into a giant park, skillfully designed by the architect-gardener Andre Le Nôtre. The Vaux-le-Vicomte Palace demonstrated the new lifestyle of the French aristocrat - in nature, outside the walls of a cramped, crowded city. I liked the palace and park so much Louis XIV that he could not come to terms with the idea that they were not his property. The French king immediately imprisoned Fouquet and entrusted the construction of his palace in Versailles to the architects Louis le Vau and Andre Le Nôtre. The architecture of the Fouquet estate was adopted as a model for Versailles. Having preserved the Fouquet Palace, the king removed from it everything that could be removed and taken away, right down to the orange trees and marble statues of the park.
Le Nôtre began by building a city that would house the courtiers of Louis XIV and a large staff of palace servants and military guards. The city was designed for thirty thousand inhabitants. Its layout was subject to three radial highways, which diverged from the central part of the palace in three directions: to Seau, Saint-Cloud, and Paris. Despite the direct analogy with the Roman triradius, the Versailles composition differed significantly from its Italian prototype. In Rome, the streets diverged from Piazza del Popolo, but in Versailles they quickly converged on the palace. In Rome, the width of the streets was less than thirty meters, in Versailles - about a hundred. In Rome, the angle formed between the three highways was 24 degrees, and in Versailles 30 degrees. To settle the city as quickly as possible Louis XIV distributed building plots to everyone (of course, nobles) for a reasonable price with the only condition that buildings be built in the same style and not higher than 18.5 meters, that is, the level of the entrance to the palace.
In 1673, a decision was made to demolish the old Versailles buildings, including the church. The new Cathedral of St. Julian was erected in its place in 1681-1682. On May 6, 1682, Louis XIV, along with his entire court, moved from Paris to Versailles. This became a turning point in the history of the city. By the first quarter of the 18th century (i.e. by the end of Louis's reign), Versailles had become a luxurious royal residence, and its population was 30,000 inhabitants.
As a result of the second construction cycle, Versailles developed into an integral palace and park ensemble, which is a wonderful example of the synthesis of arts - architecture, sculpture, and landscape gardening art of French classicism of the 17th century. However, after the death of the cardinal Mazarin, Versailles, created by Levo, began to seem insufficiently majestic to express the idea of an absolute monarchy. Therefore, he was invited to rebuild Versailles Jules Hardouin Mansart, the largest architect of the end of the century, whose name is associated with the third construction period in the history of the creation of this complex, the great-nephew of the famous Francois Mansart. Mansar further enlarged the palace by erecting two wings, each five hundred meters long, at right angles to the southern and northern facades of the palace. In the northern wing he placed a church (1699-1710), the vestibule of which was finished by Robert de Cotte. In addition, Mansart built two more floors above the Levo terrace, creating a Mirror Gallery along the western facade, closing with the halls of War and Peace (1680-1886).
Adam Frans van der Meulen - Construction of the Château de Versailles
On the axis of the palace towards the entrance on the second floor, Mansart placed the royal bedroom with a view of the city and an equestrian statue of the king, which was later placed at the vanishing point of the trident of the roads of Versailles. The king's chambers were located in the northern part of the palace, and the queen's in the southern part. Mansart also built two buildings of Ministers (1671-1681), which formed the third, the so-called “court of the Ministers,” and connected these buildings with a rich gilded lattice. All this completely changed the appearance of the building, although Mansar left the same height of the building. Gone are the contrasts, the freedom of imagination, nothing remains but the extended horizontal of the three-story structure, united in the structure of its facades with the ground, front and attic floors. The impression of grandeur that this brilliant architecture produces is achieved by the large scale of the whole and the simple and calm rhythm of the entire composition.
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Mansart knew how to combine various elements into a single artistic whole. He had an amazing sense of ensemble, striving for rigor in decoration. For example, in the Mirror Gallery he used a single architectural motif - a uniform alternation of walls and openings. This classicist base creates a sense of clear form. Thanks to Mansart, the expansion of the Palace of Versailles acquired a natural character. The extensions received a strong relationship with the central buildings. The ensemble, outstanding in its architectural and artistic qualities, was successfully completed and had a great influence on the development of world architecture.
Each of the inhabitants of the Palace of Versailles left their mark on its architecture and decoration. Louis XV, the great-grandson of Louis XIV, who inherited the throne in 1715, only towards the end of his reign in 1770 decided to make changes to the architecture of the palace. He ordered separate apartments to be equipped in order to protect his life from court etiquette. In turn, Louis XV inherited from his great-grandfather a love of the arts, as evidenced by the decoration of his Inner Chambers; and the penchant for secret political intrigue passed to him from the Italian ancestors of the Medici family and the Savoy dynasty. It was in the Inner Cabinets, far from the curious court, that he who was called "Everyone's Favorite" made some of the most important decisions of the state. At the same time, the king did not neglect either the etiquette established by his predecessor, or the life of the family, of which the queen and his especially beloved daughters reminded him.
After the death of the Sun King, Philip of Orleans, who became regent under the young Louis XV, decided to move the French court back to Paris. This was a notable blow to Versailles, which immediately lost about half of its inhabitants. However, everything returned to its previous state when, in 1722, the matured Louis XV moved to Versailles again. Under his successor Louis XVI, the city had to go through many dramatic moments. By a whim of fate, this luxurious royal residence was to become the cradle of the Great French Revolution. It was here that the Estates General met in 1789, and here, on June 20, 1789, deputies from the Third Estate took a solemn oath not to disperse until their demands for political changes in France were accepted. Here, at the beginning of October 1789, a crowd of heated revolutionaries arrived from Paris, which, having captured the palace, forced the royal family to return to the capital. After this, Versailles again began to rapidly lose population: its population decreased from 50,000 people (in 1789) to 28,000 people (in 1824). During the revolutionary events, almost all the furniture and valuables were removed from the Palace of Versailles, but the building itself was not destroyed. During the reign of the Directory, restoration work was carried out in the palace, after which a museum was located here.
Louis XVI, the heir of Louis XV, whose reign was tragically interrupted by the revolution, inherited enviable heroic strength from his maternal grandfather, the Polish king Augustus of Saxony; on the other hand, his Bourbon ancestors passed on to him not only a true passion for hunting, but also a deep interest in science. His wife Marie Antoinette, daughter of the Duke of Lorraine, who later became Emperor of Austria, left a deep mark on the musical life of Versailles thanks to her love of music, inherited from both the Habsburgs of Austria and Louis XIII. Unlike his ancestors, Louis XVI did not have the ambitions of a creator king. Known for his simple tastes, he lived in the palace out of necessity. During his reign, the interior of the palace was updated, and, above all, the Queen's Small Offices, which were located parallel to his Large Chambers. During the revolution, all the furniture and decorations of the palace were stolen. Napoleon and then Louis XVIII carried out restoration work at Versailles. After the July Revolution of 1830, the palace was supposed to be demolished. This issue was put to a vote in the Chamber of Deputies. The margin of one vote was saved by Versailles. The last of the dynasty, King Louis Philippe ruled France from 1830 to 1848. In 1830, after the July Revolution, which brought him to the throne, the House of Representatives passed a law by which Versailles and Trianon passed into the possession of the new king. Wasting no time, Louis Philippe ordered the creation of a Museum in Versailles in honor of the glorious victories of France, which opened on June 1, 1837. This purpose of the castle has been preserved to this day.
The creators of the palace were not only Louis Le Vaux and Mansart. A significant group of architects worked under their leadership. Lemuet, Dorbay, Pierre Guitard, Bruant, Pierre Cottar and Blondel worked with Le Vaux. Mansart's main assistant was his student and relative Robert de Cotte, who continued to supervise the construction after Mansart's death in 1708. In addition, Charles Davilet and Lassurance worked at Versailles. The interiors were made according to drawings by Beren, Vigarani, as well as Lebrun and Mignard. Due to the participation of many masters, the architecture of Versailles is now heterogeneous, especially since the construction of Versailles - from the appearance of the hunting castle of Louis XIII to the construction of the battle gallery of Louis Philippe - lasted about two centuries (1624-1830).
During the Napoleonic wars, Versailles was captured twice by Prussian troops (in 1814 and 1815). The Prussian invasion occurred again during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. The occupation lasted 174 days. In the Palace of Versailles, chosen by the Prussian King Wilhelm I as a temporary residence, on January 18, 1871, the creation of the German Empire was announced.
In the 20th century, Versailles also witnessed major international events more than once. It was here that a peace treaty was signed in 1919, ending the First World War and marking the beginning of the Versailles system of international relations.
Main palace complex(Chateau de Versailles) was built in the 17th century by King Louis XIV, who wanted to move here from unsafe Paris. The luxurious rooms are richly decorated with marble, velvet and wood carvings. The main attractions here are the Royal Chapel, the Salon of Venus, the Salon of Apollo and the Hall of Mirrors. The decoration of the state rooms was dedicated to the Greek gods. The Salon of Apollo was originally Louis's throne room. The Hall of Mirrors contains 17 huge mirrors reflecting the tall arched windows and crystal candelabra.
Grand Trianon- a beautiful palace made of pink marble was built by Louis XIV for his beloved Madame de Maintenon. Here the monarch loved to spend his free time. The palace was later home to Napoleon and his second wife.
Petit Trianon- another love nest built by King Louis XV for Madame de Pompadour. Later, the Petit Trianon was occupied by Marie Antoinette, and even later by Napoleon's sister. The nearby Temple of Love is said to have been Marie Antoinette's favorite place for parties.
Colonnade- a circle of marble columns and arches, located within the gardens, continues the theme of the gods of Olympus. The place was the king's favorite outdoor dining area.
During the Second World War, Versailles was occupied by German troops. In addition, the city had to endure several brutal bombings, which killed 300 Versailles residents. The liberation of Versailles took place on August 24, 1944, and was carried out by French troops under the command of General Leclerc.
On February 25, 1965, a government decree was issued, according to which Versailles was to be turned into the prefecture of the new department of Yvelines, the official creation of which took place on January 1, 1968.
Today the city retains this status. Being one of the most attractive tourist destinations, Versailles is rightfully proud of its history and architectural monuments. In 1979, the palace and park of Versailles were officially included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Pierre-Denis Martin - View of Versailles
Gardens of Versailles with their sculptures, fountains, pools, cascades and grottoes soon became for the Parisian nobility the arena of brilliant court festivities and Baroque entertainment, during which they could enjoy the operas of Lully and the plays of Racine and Moliere.
Parks of Versailles spread over an area of 101 hectares. There are many observation platforms, alleys and promenades, there is even its own Grand Canal, or rather, a whole system of canals, which was called “little Venice”. The Palace of Versailles itself is also striking in its size: the length of its park façade is 640 meters, and the Gallery of Mirrors located in the center is 73 meters long.
Versailles is open to visitors
in May - September from Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:30.
the fountains are open on Saturdays from July 1 to September 30 and on Sundays from early April to early October.
How to get there - Versailles
Trains (electric trains) go to Versailles from the Gare Montparnasse station, Montparnasse Bienvenue metro station (metro line 12). The entrance to the station is directly from the metro. Continue to the stop Versailles Chantiers. Travel time is 20 minutes. The cost of a round-trip ticket is 5.00 euros.
Exit the station in the direction "Sortie" (exit), then go straight. The road will take you to the palace in 10 - 15 minutes.
The Chateau de Versailles or Palace of Versailles is recognized as the largest historical museum in the world.
The palace is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Most of it is open to tourists.
Before the construction of this architectural masterpiece, Versailles was considered a village. These days, Versailles is a suburb of Paris, where tourists from different countries come. In 1623, Louis XIII built a hunting castle in the village of Versailles. The castle was intended for recreation. A small building in the shape of a hunting castle became the basis for the construction of the most expensive and extravagant building in the world.
Construction of the palace began by Louis XIV in 1661. The king's actions caused some controversy among the starving people and ministers, but no one dared to openly express their discontent. The best architects of that time, Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin, took part in the construction. The construction of the gardens was carried out according to the design of Andre Le Notre. Charles Lebrun took care of the interior and park sculptures. A huge area of 14,970 hectares was cleared for construction and the construction of gardens, paths, and fountains.
Throughout the palace there are 1,400 fountains, as well as 400 stunning sculptures. More than 36,000 workers took part in the construction. Once completed, the Chateau de Versailles could accommodate up to 5,000 people. However, despite the amount of money, which is more than 250 billion euros (by modern standards), the palace has some disadvantages. It was possible to live in it only in the summer; in the winter, living in it was impossible, because... there was no heating, most of the fireplaces were not usable.
The construction of the Palace of Versailles was finally completed towards the end of Louis XIV's life. It was the residence of the royal family from 1682 to 1789.
The grandeur of the Palace of Versailles shows how powerful and rich the monarch was. The king's apartments were located in the center of the palace, which symbolized the absolute power of the monarch. The Sun King was confident that God himself had chosen him as the ruler of France.
It is worth noting that Peter the Great had the opportunity to stay at the Palace of Versailles as a guest in 1717. The splendor of the buildings and gardens delighted Peter I. Upon his return to Russia, Peter the Great adopted some ideas that were used in the construction of the Peterhof Palace.
During the war, a significant part of the buildings was damaged. But, despite the precarious financial situation in the kingdom, Louis XVI allocated part of the funds for the restoration of the palace and gardens. In 1760, most of the damage was repaired.
After the fall of the monarchy, the Palace of Versailles fell into the hands of the new government. As a result, in 1792, some of the furniture and other luxury items were sold, and the works of art were transferred to a museum, namely the Louvre.
Among the architectural structures of the palace complex, the Small and Grand Trianon are distinguished.
The Grand Trianon was built in 1687 by order of Louis XIV. Now the Grand Trianon is used by the President of France to receive important guests.
The Petit Trianon was built between 1762 and 1768. Louis XV's mistress Madame de Pompadour lived in Petit Trianon. Later, in 1774, Louis XVI gave the building to Queen Marie Antoinette.
The masterpiece of the Palace of Versailles is the Hall of Mirrors, whose area is 73 meters. The 17 windows of the Hall of Mirrors offer stunning views of the park. The hall got its name due to the presence of seventeen arches with mirrors. Important events and celebrations were held in the hall.
In general, the interior design is luxurious. Everywhere you can see wood and stone carvings, painted ceilings, expensive furniture, and the walls are decorated with numerous paintings by famous artists.
Versailles Park deserves special attention. It took 10 years to build the park. The Park of Versailles is a wonderful example of French garden design. Flower beds and alleys are made in strict symmetry.
The trees had strict geometric shapes. The crowns were formed in the form of balls, pyramids, and squares.
The flower beds were always fragrant. As soon as the flowers withered, they were replaced with new ones. Trees and other plants were brought from all provinces of France. Thousands of people participated in the creation of the garden.
The Grand Canal, whose length is 1670 meters, also deserves attention. Work to create the canal lasted 11 years. The channel was created under the leadership of Andre Le Notre. The Grand Canal was the site of numerous water spectacles during the reign of Louis XIV. Currently, anyone can take a boat ride on the canal near the Palace of Versailles.