Located 20 km southwest of Paris, the royal town of Versailles, better known as Palace of Versailles, is a huge palace built by Louis XIV and has now become one of the most visited tourist places in France.
The idea of building a new castle came to the king because of the envy he felt when he saw the castle of his finance minister in Vaux-le-Vicomte. As a result, the king made a firm decision that his palace should certainly surpass the minister's palace in luxury. He hired the same team of craftsmen that built Vaux-le-Vicomte, the architect Louis LeVaux, the artist Charles Lebrun and the landscape architect Andre Le Nôtre, and ordered them to build something that would be a hundred times larger than the Vaux-le-Vicomte palace. The Palace of Versailles became the apotheosis of indulgence in the whims of French monarchs, and although you may not entirely like the environment in which the extravagant and self-aggrandizing “Sun King” chose to live, the historical significance of this palace is enormous, the stories associated with it are truly are fascinating, and the park around the palace is simply charming.
Regular park Palace of Versailles- one of the largest and most significant in Europe. It consists of many terraces, which decrease as they move away from the palace. Flower beds, lawns, a greenhouse, swimming pools, fountains, as well as numerous sculptures are a continuation of the palace architecture. The park of Versailles also contains several small palace-like structures.
The Versailles palace and park ensemble is distinguished by its unique integrity of design and harmony between architectural forms and redesigned landscape. WITH late XVII century, Versailles was a model for the ceremonial country residences of European monarchs and aristocracy. In 1979, the Palace of Versailles and its park were included in the World Heritage List. cultural heritage UNESCO.
The history of the Palace of Versailles begins in 1623 with a very modest hunting castle, similar to a feudal one, built at the request of Louis XIII from brick, stone and slate roofing on the territory purchased from Jean de Soisy, whose family owned the lands since the 14th century. The hunting castle was located in the place where the marble courtyard is now. Its dimensions were 24 by 6 meters. In 1632, the territory was expanded through the purchase of the Versailles estate from the Archbishop of Paris from the Gondi family, and a two-year reconstruction was undertaken.
From 1661, Louis XIV began to expand the palace in order to use it as his permanent residence, since after the Fronde uprising, living in the Louvre began to seem unsafe to him. Architects Andre Le Nôtre and Charles Lebrun renovated and expanded the palace in Baroque and Classicism styles. The entire facade of the palace from the garden side is occupied by a large Mirror Gallery, which with its paintings, mirrors and columns makes a stunning impression. In addition to it, the Battle Gallery, the palace chapel and the palace theater also deserve mention.
A city gradually arose around the palace, in which artisans who supplied the royal court settled. Louis XV and Louis XVI also lived at the Palace of Versailles. During this time the population Versailles and the surrounding city reached 100 thousand people, however, it quickly decreased after the king was forced to move to Paris. On May 5, 1789, representatives of the nobility, clergy and bourgeoisie gathered at the Palace of Versailles. After the king, who was given the right by law to assemble and dissolve such events, political reasons closed the meeting, the deputies from the bourgeoisie declared themselves the National Assembly and retired to the Ball House. After 1789, it was possible to maintain the Palace of Versailles only with difficulty. Since the time of Louis Philippe, many halls and premises began to be restored, and the palace itself became an outstanding national historical museum, in which busts, portraits, battle paintings and other works of art, mainly of historical value, were exhibited.
The Palace of Versailles had great value in German-French history. After the defeat of France in Franco-Prussian War From October 5, 1870 to March 13, 1871, it was the residence of the main headquarters of the German army. On January 18, 1871, the German Empire was proclaimed in the Mirror Gallery, and its Kaiser was Wilhelm I. This place was deliberately chosen to humiliate the French. A peace treaty with France was signed on February 26, also at Versailles. In March, the evacuated French government moved the capital from Bordeaux to Versailles, and only in 1879 again to Paris.
At the end of the First World War, a preliminary truce was concluded at the Palace of Versailles, as well as the Treaty of Versailles, which the defeated German Empire was forced to sign. This time, the historical site was chosen by the French to humiliate the Germans. The harsh conditions of the Treaty of Versailles (including huge indemnity payments and admission of sole guilt) were a big burden on the young Weimar Republic. Because of this, it is widely believed that the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles were the basis for the future rise of Nazism in Germany.
After World War II, the Palace of Versailles became the site of German-French reconciliation. This is evidenced by the celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Elysee Treaty, which took place in 2003.
Many palaces in Europe were built under the undoubted influence of Versailles. These include the castles of Sanssouci in Potsdam, Schönbrunn in Vienna, Great palaces in Peterhof and Gatchina, as well as other palaces in Germany, Austria and Italy.
Since 2003 Palace of Versailles became the object of one of the projects under the patronage of Jacques Chirac - a large-scale restoration plan for the palace, comparable only to Mitterrand’s project to renovate the Louvre. The project, with a total budget of 400 million euros, is designed over a period of 20 years, during which the façade and interior of the Opera will be renovated, the original layout of the gardens will be restored, and the three-metre gilded King's Grille will be returned to the inner Marble Court. In addition, after the restoration, tourists will be able to visit for free those parts of the castle that today can only be accessed with an organized tour. However, over the next few years, work will be limited to only the most urgent tasks: so that the roof does not leak, so that there is no short circuit in the electrical wiring, and so that interruptions in the central heating system do not allow the palace to fly into the air, because at one time even revolutionaries.
Of course, the main attraction of the Versailles palace and park ensemble is the palace itself. At the entrance to Versailles you will receive a plan of the palace, according to which you can plot your route. In the Palace of Versailles, you must visit the Royal Chapel, which is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments Baroque era. After passing through the chapel and a network of rooms shining with gold and crystal, you will find yourself in the throne room and the famous Gallery of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed after the First World War. In addition, an obligatory point of the program is a tour of the Queen's Apartments in the northern wing of the palace, in which almost every square centimeter of the walls and ceiling is decorated with gilding.
Each room in the palace was given symbolic meaning, and not a single room - even in the apartments reserved for courtiers or members of the royal family - was left private. The center of the palace was not at all the throne room or study. Much higher value attached to what happened in the royal bedchamber. The most important ceremonies took place here every day, and no one dared to be embarrassed by the nakedness of their majesties. To carry out such a ceremony, at least a hundred courtiers were required, who memorized the most complex choreographic rituals.
Of course you can enjoy luxury interior decoration chambers of the palace, but you can have a great time walking around the park of the Palace of Versailles. Well-groomed gardens, fragrant flower beds, musical fountains - there is everything here that can delight the aesthetic sense. In addition, two more palaces are located in the park of Versailles: the Grand Trianon (a palace in the Italian architectural style) and the Petit Trianon (a more modest structure designed for the famous favorite of Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour). The park also contains Marie Antoinette's village, a small farm with a thatched roof. The modest decoration of the Petit Trianon and the graceful asceticism of the village of Marie Antoinette will give your eyes, tired of the radiance of the Palace of Versailles, a long-awaited rest, and the fountains, synchronized with music, will be a real delight for your ears.
For tourists
The Palace of Versailles is located approximately 13 km southwest of Paris. The easiest way to get to Versailles is by metro (RER) line C – you will need to get to the station Versailles - Rive Gauche, which is located not far from the palace itself. In addition, trains depart from the train stations to Versailles Gare Montparnasse(station Versailles Chantiers) And Gare St-Lazare(station Versailles – Rive Droite). Tickets for the metro and trains cost the same - 2.80€ one way.
The opening hours of the Versailles Palace and Park Ensemble differ in the high and low seasons, so before traveling to Versailles, be sure to check the palace website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/homepage. The site is available in several languages, but Russian is not one of them.
You can buy tickets on the palace website, in FNAC stores (http://www.fnac.com/localiser-magasin-fnac/w-4), at the tourist office, which is located near the Versailles - Rive Gauche station, and finally, at the ticket office of the palace itself.
When buying tickets to Versailles, it is very important not to get confused, since there are many varieties. Firstly, you can visit the palace using a museum card - Paris Museum Pass (http://en.parismuseumpass.com/). Using the same card you can visit many other Parisian attractions, but if you are not going to visit all the museums of Paris in a short time, it simply will not pay off.
A full ticket to Versailles costs 25€ on days when the fountains are open and 18€ when the fountains are closed. For 15 € you can visit the Palace of Versailles separately with its famous Gallery of Mirrors, the chambers of the king and queen, frescoes, paintings and sculptures.
In addition to the main palace, the Versailles palace complex also includes the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon and the village of Marie Antoinette. For €10 you can buy a ticket to both Trianon and the village of Marie Antoinette. Entrance to the Park of Versailles is free, but on days when the fountains are open it will cost you 8.5 €.
If you go to Versailles in the summer, do not forget to take a hat or cap with you: there is practically no place to hide from the sun in the gardens, so you can easily overheat.
Story
Now it is difficult to even imagine that at the beginning of the 17th century, on the site of the current Palace of Versailles, the gardens of which amaze with their ideal grooming, there were swampy swamps. But despite such unfavorable natural conditions, this area southwest of Paris attracted the attention of Louis XIII, who in 1624 ordered the construction of a small hunting castle here. And in 1661, Louis XIV remembered this castle, to whom it seemed that it was unsafe for him to remain in Paris.
According to legend, when King Louis XIV was only 5 years old, while walking through the picturesque Tuileries Garden, he looked into a puddle. The sun reflected in the water. “I am the sun!” – the boy shouted joyfully. From that day on, Louis was affectionately called “the Sun King” by his subjects and family. Even in his youth, he dreamed of something big, perfect and unique, something that would amaze all of Europe - better than the Louvre, Vincennes and Fontainebleau combined. It took Louis XIV 50 years to realize his dream! The Sun King turned his father's hunting castle into the largest palace in Europe! The interior decoration was entrusted to the painter Charlevy Lebrun, and the design of the gardens was entrusted to Andre Le Nôtre.
The “Sun King” was able to build a truly sun-like palace in Versailles, worthy of his greatness. Eight hundred hectares of swamps, where the king’s father loved to hunt, were drained, and their place was taken by luxurious gardens, parks, alleys and fountains.
In 1682, Louis XIV became completely uncomfortable in his usual Paris, and the monarch decided to move to Versailles. At that time, the palace was not yet fully completed, and generally not entirely suitable for living, but the autocrat was adamant. The king has dreamed of the Palace of Versailles for so long that he can no longer wait - and the entire royal court is forced to follow Louis.
The palace complex of Versailles was created with the aim of glorifying France, and this initial plan was successfully realized. The splendor of the interior decoration, ideal gardens and alleys, luxurious fountains, the scale of the palace and park ensemble - all this made guests French court freeze in admiration.
The Palace of Versailles was the center political life France up to the Great French Revolution in 1789. Along with the fall of the autocracy, the symbol of which was Versailles, the palace began to fall into disrepair.
- The Palace of Versailles is number 83 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- The days the fountains work turn into real shows: the fountains are synchronized with music, thanks to which they create a completely unforgettable impression.
- On Saturday evenings in the summer light shows, which involve fountains and fireworks.
Chronology
- October 5, 1789: Revolutionaries expel King Louis XVI from the Palace of Versailles.
- 19th century: Active restoration and conservation of the building began, which has not been completed to this day.
- January 18, 1871: In the Hall of Mirrors, King Wilhelm I of Prussia is crowned Emperor (Kaiser) of Germany.
- February 26, 1871: A peace treaty is signed at Versailles, ending the Franco-Prussian War.
- June 28, 1919: The Treaty of Versailles is signed, setting out the terms for ending the First World War.
(Versaille Palace) near Paris, the same grandiose Versailles - the magnificent residence of the kings of France, the great collective creation of the best French architects and landscape masters. Created by Louis XIV with the clear goal of eclipsing everything built in Europe up to that time, and indeed eclipsing it.
- Versailles is a monument to the “Sun King”, a clear visualization of the idea: the monarch is the center of the universe
The hunting castle at Versailles, which became a huge palace, became a role model throughout Europe. It remains the standard today. The grandeur of the idea and the elegance of its implementation in practice cannot leave anyone indifferent!
- Royal Palace of Caserta, built for the Italian branch of the Bourbons
- Russian Upper and Lower Gardens in Peterhof, Great Catherine Palace in Tsarskoe Selo
- La Granja de San Ildefonso in Spain near Segovia
- Herrenchiemsee in Germany
- many archiepiscopal, ducal and private residences
to one degree or another they borrowed the ideas implemented during the creation of the Versailles Palace and Park!
However, he himself did not materialize out of thin air. There is an opinion that the idea of building a new residence arose from Louis XIV after a visit to the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte. Built near Paris by the royal treasurer Nicolas Fouquet and the richness of its decoration eclipsed all that existed in France before him!
Palace of Versailles in numbers
The total length of the garden facade exceeds half a kilometer (670 meters). The palace has more than 700 rooms, 1,252 fireplaces and 67 staircases. The Palace of Versailles looks out at the world through 2,153 windows.
Total area The building exceeds 67,000 square meters. And the entire complex with the park stretches over 8 km2. Why isn't the country self-sufficient?
The palace apartments still amaze with their luxurious decoration. Particularly notable are: the Mirror Gallery, a hall 73 meters long, 10.5 meters wide and 12.5 meters high, the King's Apartments, the windows of which overlook the inner Marble Courtyard, the Large and Small Royal Chambers.
The amount spent on the construction and decoration of the Palace of Versailles during the era of Louis XIV alone amounted to 26 million livres!
Royal apartments
The royal bedroom was located in the central part of the palace on the second floor and overlooked the Marble Courtyard. In front of the bedroom was the famous and often mentioned historical literature the “Oeil de boeuf” room (l’Oeil de boeuf, “Bull’s Eye”), named after the oval window in the roof.
- Grand appartement du Roi (dark blue)
- Private quarters of the king, Appartement du roi (medium blue)
- Small apartments of the king, Petit appartement du roi (light blue)
- Grand apartment of the queen, Grand appartement de la reine (yellow)
- Petit appartement de la reine (red)
For the first time, the enfilade system of halls was implemented on a large scale at the Palace of Versailles. If in the previous residences of the French kings the personal chambers were decorated in an intimate, chamber style, here the life of the monarch is put on display.
Personal quarters: bedroom, study, reception rooms - all together were supposed to create an unforgettable impression of the incredible wealth of France.
- Louis XIV occupied rooms overlooking the Marble Court in the central part of the palace. The royal bedroom was located on the axis of symmetry, it was here that the “Sun King” died on September 1, 1715 at the age of 72)
Under Louis XV and XVI, the bedroom was used for the traditional ceremonies of lever ("rising") and coucher ("going to bed"). To the left of the bedroom is the Hoy de Boeuf, and to the right is what was once the king's office, from where he ruled France. Under Louis XV, the room was expanded and turned into the Council Hall.
History of creation
A small hunting castle in the ancient village of Versailles, located only 15 kilometers west of Paris, arose during the reign of Louis XIII, the father of the “Sun King” Louis XIV, who subsequently reigned so long and so brilliantly, in 1624.
In 1632-1638, the castle in Versailles, designed by the architect Philibert De Roy, was turned into a small U-shaped palace. Note that during the subsequent numerous reconstructions of the building, this part of it became the center of the composition, around which outbuildings gradually grew.
The era of Louis XIV
In 1661, after the death of Cardinal Mazarin, who ruled France virtually single-handedly as First Minister, King Louis XIV reconsidered the role of Versailles. In the head of the monarch, who has finally received real power, the idea of transforming not big palace to a grandiose residence, and its location outside of Paris, the capital of France, is not at all accidental.
- The king seems to oppose himself to the heart of the nation, its very big city, declaring that he will now be the center of the Universe for the French. However, the official transformation of Versailles into the center of attraction of France was slightly delayed: only in 1682 did the court finally move here
Large-scale construction at Versailles began in 1669. It was then that the architect Louis Levo significantly enlarged the former, rather modest building by lengthening the side wings, which today frame the so-called Marble and Royal Courts.
The next period in the construction of the Palace of Versailles begins after the Peace of Nijmegen, in 1678, and the construction is led by another outstanding architect, Jules Hardouin Mansart (Levo died in 1670).
Under Mansar, the building received the most significant increase: the northern and southern outbuildings-wings appeared, the famous Large, later called the Mirror, gallery was created in the central part of the building, ministerial buildings were completed, framing the third courtyard of the complex, the Ministerial.
At the same time, the outstanding landscape architect Andre Le Nôtre creates a regular park, and decorator Charles Brun supervises the decoration of the interior.
The next stage of construction, the last in the reign of Louis XIV, begins at the turn of the century, in 1699 and ends in 1710. As a result, a number of interior interiors are rebuilt and a beautiful Royal Chapel appears, begun by Mansart and completed by Robert de Cotte.
One cannot fail to mention the construction of a separate palace in the park for the King’s favorite, the Marquise de Montespan: the Grand Trianon (Le Grand Trianon, Trianon in French means pavilion).
- Subsequently, during the First Empire, it was turned into one of his official residences by the first Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte.
After the death of the old king (in 1714), the court moved to Paris, and delegations settled in Versailles foreign countries. In 1717, Russian Tsar Peter I also visited here, who later embodied much of what he saw in the Peterhof country residence near St. Petersburg.
Louis XV and XVI
The French court returned to Versailles in 1722, after the death of the regent, Philippe d'Orléans. Alterations to the vast palace at this time were, in general, minor, and mainly concerned its interiors.
In the vast palace garden, the Petit Trianon Palace, Le Petit Trianon (1762-1768), is being built for Louis XV's favorite, Madame de Pompadour. In 1763-1770, the composition of the Grand Palace of Versailles was logically completed by the Opera building designed by Jacques Ange Gabriel (flanking the northern façade).
During the reign of Louis XVI, the Petit Trianon, which he gave to his wife, Marie Antoinette, turns into an exquisite pearl of an elegant and short-lived architectural style rococo.
After the Revolution
During the French Revolution, the Palace of Versailles lost most of its interior decoration, but the buildings remained standing. After the restoration of the monarchy, in 1837, King Louis Philippe decreeed that the former residence was turned into a national museum.
Subsequently, the palace was visited by German troops twice (in 1871 and 1940) (in 1871, Wilhelm I was proclaimed Emperor of Germany in the Mirror Gallery of Versailles). The Treaty of Versailles was signed here in 1919, ending the First World War.
Opening hours and ticket prices
The palace is open to visitors any day of the week, except Monday. From 9 to 18.30 from May to September and 9 to 17.30 from October to April.
A ticket to the Palace of Versailles, both Trianons, and the park (2018) will cost 20 €. A 2-day ticket costs 25 €.
Visitors under the age of 18, regardless of citizenship, and EU citizens under 26 years of age are admitted free of charge.
Until the end of the 16th century, Versailles was a small village near Paris. Louis the Thirteenth first built a hunting lodge there, then a small castle, and in 1632 he bought the entire village. His son, Louis XIV, the Sun King, built a huge palace complex at Versailles and turned it into the main residence of the French monarchs.
The history of the emergence of Versailles as one of the symbols of France
In 1682, the royal court moved to Versailles, which became not only the de facto capital of France, but also a symbol of absolutism. From that moment on, all European rulers, wanting to emphasize their greatness, built palaces in the “Versailles” manner.
Louis XIV had reasons to strive away from Paris. The capital looked too provincial for the powerful European power that France became during these years. In addition, the king could not forgive the Parisians of the Fronde, he did not trust them and wanted to protect himself from the rioting crowd in the future.
The arrangement of Versailles began back in 1661, lasted for decades and required enormous expenses, practically ruining the country.
Description of Versailles - severity in everything
The complex was planned around three roads leading to Paris and the royal estates of Saint-Cloud and Sceaux. At the point of their connection in front of the main entrance to the Grand Palace of Versailles there is a equestrian statue Louis XIV.
Parks of Versailles - geometric strictness of lines and proportions
On the other side of the palace, as if continuing the middle road, stretches the main alley with swimming pools and the Grand Canal (1520 m). It clearly divides the huge park into two symmetrical halves.
Geometric rigor of lines and proportions - distinguishing feature Versailles ensemble. It reflected the passion of French architects for utopian architecture, which originated from the fantastic “ideal cities” of the Renaissance.
It seems that the park is drawn according to a line, but at the same time it does not look boring or monotonous. It is enlivened by flower beds, sculptural groups, cascades, grottoes and especially fountains, the construction of which was the pinnacle of engineering of its time. Particularly impressive to visitors is the Apollo Fountain (sculptor Tyubi), depicting the chariot of the ancient god.
Luxurious halls of the Palace of Versailles
Inside, the Grand Palace consists of a suite of luxuriously decorated halls filled with exquisite furniture, jewelry, and works of art. Separately, it is worth noting the 73 m long Mirror Gallery. Its 17 mirror panels reflect the light of 17 huge windows facing the park. This sparkling hall hosted ceremonies, balls, receptions and royal weddings.
It is also necessary to visit the Royal Chapel, the Salon of Venice, the Salon of Apollo, the Royal Opera, and the Grand and Petit Trianon palaces.
The architect Andre Le Nôtre created absolutely new type park landscape, called the French regular (i.e. regular) garden. Such a garden, embodying the ideals of harmony, grandeur and unchanging order, became a model for the famous imperial ensembles of Peterhof and Sans Souci (Potsdam).
Like Versailles, these parks have one characteristic feature: from certain points in them you can observe a “clear linear perspective» properly organized space.
Gardens and parks of Versailles
The gardens and parks of Versailles, with a total area of 101 hectares, served as a grandiose stage for the court nobility: holidays, festivities, masquerades and other amusements took place here, in the shadow of which intrigues and palace intrigues wove.
Louis, who turned his life into a magnificent performance, patronized classical theater- Operas by Lully and plays by Racine and Moliere were staged at Versailles. This tradition was continued by his successors, especially the wife of Louis the Sixteenth, Marie Antoinette, who built her own theater and acted in it herself.
The main palace complex, created in the style French classicism, amazes with its scope. The ensemble consists of three successively located courtyards - the Ministers, the Royal Court, where only the carriages of the monarch could enter, and the Marble Court, where the buildings of the hunting castle of Louis the Thirteenth were preserved.
Versailles is the history of France
The history of Versailles is not limited to the lives of kings. It was here that in June 1789, deputies of the Third Estate proclaimed themselves the National Assembly, and later the Constituent Assembly. That same year, on August 26, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was adopted at Versailles.
Here, six years earlier, the document approving the independence of the United States was signed. On June 28, 1919, a peace treaty was signed at Versailles, ending the First World War.
Since 1837, Versailles has officially been the Museum of French History.
Ten years ago, the Palace of Versailles became part of a large-scale restoration project of the palace, under the patronage of Jacques Chirac. According to the plan, within 20 years the interior of the Opera and the façade were to be renovated, the original layout of the gardens was restored, the gilded King's Grille was returned to the inner Marble Court, etc.
However, life makes its own adjustments and today restoration work is limited to maintaining the palace in working order.
Palace of Versailles – VIDEO tour
Versailles is a palace and park ensemble in France, the former residence of French kings in the city of Versailles, now a suburb of Paris. The total area of the entire territory with gardens, fountains, pools, cascades, grottoes, sculptures and elegant palaces is truly royal, more than one hundred hectares.
http://youtu.be/gnbpr0en38M
We will be pleased if you share with your friends:Royal Palace of Versailles is the main pearl of France, which is located just 20 km from Paris in a small town. Exactly big Versailles castle served as a model for many European castles. The architectural and landscape masterpiece includes luxurious palace buildings and exquisite gardens with artificial and natural lakes. Versailles became a symbol of the power and authority of the French monarch Louis XIV.
Reasons for the construction of the royal palace at Versailles:
- Due to the revolutionary movement, living in the royal family was dangerous.
- Ambition. In the 17th century, France actively developed, becoming a new superpower. A powerful state needed a worthy political center, which was Versailles. . Paris at that time was a provincial city.
- The envy of the young king, which arose after Louis XIV saw the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte Nicolas Fouquet. By the way, the owner of the castle was soon executed.
The palace at Versailles could simultaneously accommodate 10,000 people - including 5,000 courtiers and 5,000 servants. The domestic policy of Louis XIV was to vigilantly control the aristocracy. Those courtiers who left the Palace of Versailles were forever deprived of royal favor and, as a result, property and ranks.
The best people were involved in the construction of the architectural and landscape complex French masters Stars: Louis Leveau, Andre Le Nôtre, Charles Lebrun. In total, 25 million livres or 259.56 billion modern euros were spent from the state treasury. This is despite the fact that the construction of the great palace in France was carried out under conditions of extreme austerity, due to which some windows did not open and fireplaces did not work. In winter, living in the Palace of Versailles was uncomfortable.
Mirror Gallery, Palace of Versailles, France.
The Hall of Mirrors is rightly considered the most grandiose and impressive attraction of the Palace of Versailles. The brilliant masters of the Renaissance embodied the ideas of absolutism in it. The hall amazes and delights with its wealth and luxury. Every detail of the interior is lavishly decorated with gold. Huge mirrors, sculptures and numerous crystal chandeliers are harmoniously combined in a single ensemble.
Interestingly, it was in the Mirror Gallery that the famous Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919.
Royal Chapel, Versailles, France.
The Royal Chapel is located on the right side of the palace complex at Versailles. The gilded royal altar contrasts with snow-white columns decorated with stucco. Exquisite bronze figures greek gods immediately catches your eye. The chapel consists of 2 floors. Only monarchs had the right to climb to the top tier.
An interesting fact: every second court lady dreamed of becoming the favorite of the loving Louis XIV. That is why representatives of the fair sex never missed a service.
Hall of Apollo, Palace of Versailles, France.
The throne room was intended for holding ceremonial receptions of foreign delegations. In the evening, celebrations were sometimes held here.
Salon of War, Palace of Versailles, France.
The War Salon is dedicated to the military triumph of France. The walls of the hall are decorated with paintings glorifying the legendary victories of the French.
Diana's Salon, Palace of Versailles, France.
The interior of this salon is decorated with golden arches and painted walls, antique sculptures and busts. Once upon a time there was a large billiard table in this hall, where monarchs and courtiers entertained.
Queen's bedroom, Palace of Versailles, France.
The queen's bedroom is decorated with woven portraits, picturesque panels, stucco moldings, and crystal chandeliers. Every detail of the decor is covered with the purest gold.
Interesting: in the 17th century, queens gave birth in public.
King's Bedroom, Palace of Versailles, France.
The extravagant king of France loved pomp and luxury most of all. This is exactly what his bedchamber is, located in the very heart of the Palace of Versailles. The royal box is decorated with a scarlet silk canopy.
The narcissistic monarch Louis XIV loved the theater. And so he turned his whole life into a pompous performance, which was given with dignity on a magnificent stage - V royal palace in Versailles!