Address: France, city of Versailles
Start of construction: 1661
Architect: Louis Levo
Main attractions: regular park (one of the largest in Europe), Mirror Gallery, Battle Gallery, palace chapel, Royal Opera, Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, Small Apartments of the King
Coordinates: 48°48"16.6"N 2°07"13.3"E
Short description
Just a 30-minute train ride from Paris, and the passenger arrives in Versailles - a respectable suburb, famous for the residence of French monarchs.
Bird's eye view of the Palace of Versailles
The city of Versailles grew up around a modest 5-room hunting castle founded by Louis XIII in 1623. The heir to the throne, the “Sun King” Louis XIV, was also fond of hunting, but he connected much more grandiose plans with Versailles. Dissatisfied with his residence at the Louvre, the monarch decided to transform the hunting grounds into a luxurious palace.
Palace of Versailles. General form.
In addition, living in the Louvre seemed unsafe: even at a young age, Louis XIV and his family had to flee Paris, which was engulfed in the Fronde uprising. In Versailles, the monarch could hide from court intrigues and conspiracies, enjoying the company of numerous favorites.
Construction of the palace, begun in 1661 under Louis XIV, continued during the reign of his son, Louis XV. Charles Lebrun, court painter of the “Sun King,” and Louis Leveau, “the first royal architect,” expanded and designed Versailles in the style of classicism.
Golden Gate of the Palace of Versailles
And the master of landscape art Andre Le Nôtre landscaped the gardens and parks. 36,000 people worked hard at Versailles - they drained swamps, created artificial relief, etc. According to the records of those years, the palace cost the state “15,228,287 livres, 10 sous and 3 deniers.” Putting the costs in relation to the state budget of France in the 17th century and recalculating them in modern money, the amount is 260 billion euros. Half of this money was spent on interior decoration.
Marble courtyard of the Palace of Versailles
Hunger riot on the square near Versailles
Versailles served as the main residence of the French kings until 1789, when Louis XVI was dethroned and executed. It was here, on the square in front of the palace in October 1789, that a crowd of townspeople gathered, outraged by the high prices of bread. In response to the protest, they heard the famous phrase, the authorship of which is attributed to Marie Antoinette, the wife of Louis XVI: “If they have no bread, let them eat cake!” After the hunger riot, Versailles lost its significance as the center of high society life in France.
View of the Palace of Versailles from the park
Interiors of Versailles - “chic-brilliance-beauty”
In the atmosphere of luxury at Versailles, among monumental fountains, alleys and promenades, surrounded by a riot of greenery and flowers, it was so easy for the monarch to abandon the real problems of the common people! The Mirror Gallery of the Palace of Versailles is particularly chic. It is a gigantic hall the height of a 5-story building. Arched windows and doorways filled with mirrors visually expand the space of the hall.
During the era of the Sun King, the gallery was furnished with silver tables and stools; statues and even plant pots were cast from silver.
View of the Grand Canal in the Park of Versailles
Crystal chandeliers flickered above the ceiling, painted with “heavenly glaze,” and the windows were framed by curtains made of gold brocade. The floors were covered with magnificent carpets from the Savonnerie manufactory. Under Louis XIV, the Gallery of Mirrors, together with the Staircase of the Ambassadors (dismantled in 1752) and the Royal Chapel, was one of the three most colossal interiors of the palace. The upper tier of the chapel, intended for the royal family, rests on a white marble colonnade with gilded capitals.
Petit Trianon
In the center is an altar decorated with figures of ancient Greek gods. On the lower level there was a chapel for courtiers and ladies-in-waiting. Beyond the gallery are the queen's apartments. A huge bed, almost the size of a bedroom, immediately attracts attention. All surfaces in the bedchamber are covered with gold, emphasizing the high status of the first lady of France. The apartments of the king and queen are separated by the Gallery of Battles. On its walls hang 30 paintings glorifying the significant victories of France, and along the walls there are statues of 82 commanders.
Grand Trianon Palace
The king's apartments occupy several halls, notable among them is the Bull's Eye salon with an oval-shaped window that opens onto the courtyard. The interior of the salon is decorated with sculptures of playing putti (winged angel boys), stucco moldings and portraits of members of the royal family.
Secret meeting room and toy farm
In the depths of the palace park, which stretches over 800 hectares, is located the one-story Grand Trianon Palace, lined with white and blue tiles. It was intended for relaxation and secret meetings. If you go in the opposite direction, you can get to the Petit Trianon - the mansion of Marie Antoinette.
In the history of European architecture there is no other example of imitation than imitation Palace of Versailles, many palaces and parks were built in the style of Versailles, which served as a starting model for architects and designers.
The luxurious Palace of Versailles and its magnificent parks and gardens, exquisite greenhouses and wonderful fountains had a simply magical influence on the architectural and construction thought of Europe in the 18th century.
At Versailles, the monarchs and royal court lived in incredible luxury and entertained themselves by creating an incredible amount of intrigue and mystery at Versailles. At the origins of this insidious tradition is Louis XIV, who outlived his creator; his creation and tradition were successfully used by his descendants, but the “intrigue-weaving” reached its peak under Marie Antoinette.
Let's take a look at this magnificence, and start right from the very Palace of Versailles- royal house.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 02.01.2016 10:29
This is the main building of the complex, the home of the French kings. You can get into it by passing through the “Royal Gate” - a gilded lattice decorated with royal attributes, a coat of arms and a crown.
The second floor was intended for the royal family - on the north side there were the King's Grand Salons, there were seven of them, and on the south there were chambers for the female half of the royal family. The first floor was occupied by the royal courtiers.
The palace has about seven hundred rooms, and the throne room, where the kings received ambassadors and important persons, is called the Salon of Apollo. The throne room was also used for balls, theatrical performances and performances.
Mirror Gallery - the most impressive and famous room Palace of Versailles, the gallery played an important, if not the main, role in the history of palace life. The most luxurious and magnificent events of the royal court, balls, celebrations and royal weddings were held here.
The Mirror Gallery received its name for the huge mirrors that filled the space between 17 large arched window openings overlooking the luxurious Versailles gardens and parks, creating an extraordinary effect of space and light. In total there were more than 350 mirrors. The height of the gallery ceilings reached 11 meters, with a length of 73 meters and a width of 11.
There was a period in the history of the Palace of Versailles when the furniture in the Mirror Gallery was made of pure silver, a good investment, but by the beginning of the 18th century, due to large military expenses, the furniture was melted down for coins.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 02.01.2016 11:07
Opposite is the Armory Square, from which three alleys begin, separated by two buildings - the Big and Small Stables, which simultaneously housed up to 2,500 horses and 200 carriages.
The grand Palace contains priceless works of art, which, together with the extraordinary beauty of the parks, create one of the most amazing architectural ensembles peace.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 02.01.2016 11:11
Immediately behind the fence is the first of three successive courtyards, the so-called courtyard of the ministers, in the depths of which stands a statue of Louis XIV. The second courtyard, the Royal, was where the royal carriages entered, and the last courtyard, the Marbres, is surrounded by the original building of Louis XIII. On the side opposite the entrance, one of the most beautiful facades, 580 m long, overlooks the park.
Its central part was made according to the design of Levo (1678-80), two side wings and the final decoration of the building were made by Hardouin-Mansart. The two longest floors are enlivened by projections and columns that break the monotony of the building. The lower floor is built in the form of rusticated arches, and the tall windows of the upper floor are framed by pilasters.
The central pavilion was intended for the royal family, the two side wings were for the blood princes, and the attic was for the courtiers.
From the Royal Court you can enter the palace, or rather, the first gallery of the Historical Museum, which tells about the era of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. The next hall, called the Royal, has an oval shape. This room was designed by the architect Gabriel (1770) to celebrate the wedding of the future King Louis XIV with Marie Antoinette of Austria.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 02.01.2016 11:14
After the second gallery on the top floor there is a Chapel dedicated to St. Louis of France. This room, richly decorated with white and gold moldings, is considered a masterpiece of the architect Hardouin-Mansart (1699-1710).
The magnificent bas-reliefs on the pilasters and arches were made by Van Cleve. The next room, called the Salon of Hercules, was built in 1712 and decorated in 1736 by Robert de Cotte. Two magnificent paintings by Veronese, “The Supper of Christ in the House of Simon the Pharisee” and “Elizir and Rebecca,” are kept here. On the same floor are the six rooms of the Grand Royal Apartments, which are typical examples of the Louis XV style, where preference was given to the use of precious materials.
But the most luxurious, without a doubt, is Lebrun's masterpiece of decorative art, the Gallery of Mirrors, built in 1687. The fame of this gallery was brought by its original decor: 17 mirrors reflecting the light that penetrates through 17 windows located opposite.
Sasha Mitrakhovich 02.01.2016 11:19
The gardens deserve special attention; they are the most striking example of a French park layout. The Gardens of Versailles, together with the Large and Small Parks, occupy an area of more than 100 hectares. This beautiful space was designed by Le Nôtre, who managed to harmoniously combine nature with art and the tastes of the king.
After descending the terrace, you come to the Latona Fountain (1670), this wonderful fountain is decorated with the figures of the goddess Diana, Apollo and Latona, this triad sits on concentric pools set up in a pyramid.
The Tapi-Ver alley starts from the fountain and leads to another magnificent fountain of Apollo, where Tubi (1671) depicted a divine chariot drawn by four horses, which bursts out of the water, while tritons blow their shells, announcing the coming of the god. The lawns behind the Apollo Fountain end at the Grand Canal (120 m wide), which stretches for 1560 m and ends in a large swimming pool.
The story begins in 1623 with a very modest hunting castle, reminiscent of a feudal one, built at the request of Louis XIII of brick, stone and slate roofing on land purchased from Jean de Soisy, whose family had 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.
Louis XIV - Creation of a magnificent palace and park ensemble
From 1661, Louis XIV began to expand it 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.
Louis XV and Louis XVI - the unprecedented prosperity and decline of the Palace of Versailles
A city gradually arose around the palace, in which artisans who supplied the royal court settled. IN Palace of Versailles Louis XV and Louis XVI also lived. 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 by law was given the right to convene and dissolve such events, closed the meeting for political reasons, 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 were exhibited, mainly of historical value.
The Palace of Versailles and the Franco-Prussian War
The Palace of Versailles was of great importance in German-French history. After the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, it was the residence of the main headquarters of the German army from October 5, 1870 to March 13, 1871. On January 18, 1871, the German Empire was proclaimed in the Mirror Gallery, and Wilhelm I was its Kaiser.
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.
World War I
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, historical place was picked up by the French to humiliate the Germans.
The harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles (including huge indemnity payments and admission of sole guilt) were a great 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.
The Second World War
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.
Architectural influence of the Palace of Versailles
Many palaces in Europe were built under the undoubted influence of Versailles. These include the castles of Sanssouci in Potsdam, Schönbrunn in Vienna, the Great Palaces in Peterhof and Gatchina, as well as other palaces in Germany, Austria and Italy.
Modernity
Since 2003, it has become 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.
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 includes a monumental palace building and a number of park structures of “small forms”, and, most importantly, a park that is 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 greatest monument architecture XVII 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- the 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 Royal Palace. However, despite the changes that took place, by the end of the reign of Louis XIII, Versailles had not changed much appearance. 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 creation country residence. The whole of it was turned into a giant park, skillfully designed by the architect-gardener Andre Le Nôtre. The Palace of Vaux-le-Vicomte demonstrated a new style the life of a 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 places, 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.
Versailles is a palace and park complex (Parc et château de Versailles), which is located in the suburb of Paris of the same name. Versailles is included in the list of 100 wonders of the world, and since 1979 has been included in the List of Objects World Heritage UNESCO.
The entire complex is divided into the following main zones:
- Chateau (main palace at Versailles);
- Grand Trianon;
- Petit Trianon (Marie Antoinette's mansion);
- Marie Antoinette Farm;
- Gardens;
- A park.
Excursion to Versailles: information for tourists
Address: Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles, France.
How to get to Versailles
From Paris to Versailles you can get there in half an hour by car. high speed trains RER, line C. In Versailles the stop is called Versailles Rive Gauche, from there it is a 10-minute walk to the palace gates.
Another way to get there: bus number 171, which departs from the Pont de Sevres metro station in Paris. Buses run every 15-20 minutes.
Schedule
The complex is open every day except Mondays, as well as official holidays: December 25, January 1 and May 1.
- Chateau - from 09:00 to 17:30 (from May to September - until 18:30);
- Grand and Petit Trianons, farm - from 12:00 to 17:30 (from May to September - until 18:30);
- Gardens and park - from 8:00 to 18:00 (from May to September - from 7:00 to 20:30).
Ticket prices to Versailles
| Services list | Price |
|---|---|
| Full ticket (main palace, Grand and Petit Trianons, farm, gardens) | 20 €/on days the fountains are open 27 € |
| Full ticket for two days | 25 €/on days the fountains are open 30 € |
| Only Chateau (main palace) | 18 € |
| Grand and Petit Trianons, farm | 12 € |
| Park only (fountains turned off) | for free |
| Park only (fountains included) | 9 € |
| Night fountain show | 24 € |
| Ball | 17 € |
| Night fountain show + ball | 39 € |
Prices are current for 2018.
Children under 5 years old have free admission; older children, students, and people with disabilities have discounts.
From the history of Versailles
Versailles under the Bourbons
Initially, these lands were the hunting estate of Louis XIII. His son and successor, the “Sun King” Louis XIV, was crowned in 1654. After the Fronton uprising, life in the Louvre seemed alarming and unsafe to the “Sun King,” so he gave instructions to build a palace on the Versailles lands, on the site of his father’s hunting grounds.
Construction of the palace and park complex began in 1661 under Louis XIV and continued under the reign of his son, Louis XV. Architects Louis Leveau, Francois D'Orbe and painter Charles Lebrun created a grandiose palace in the classicist style, which to this day has no equal.
Until 1789, Versailles was the main residence of the kings of France. At the beginning of October 1789, palace square people gathered, outraged by the high prices of bread. The answer to the protest was the phrase of Marie Antoinette: “If they don’t have bread, let them eat cakes!” But it is not known for certain whether she said this phrase or whether the townspeople themselves came up with it. After this riot, Versailles ceased to be the center of social life in France, and the king and his family and the deputies of the bourgeoisie (National Assembly) moved to Paris.
The Palace of Versailles during revolutions and wars
Maintaining the Palace of Versailles was not easy. When Napoleon I came to power in 1799, he took Versailles under his wing. In 1806, by order of the Emperor, work began on a plan to restore the Palace of Versailles. Restoration work started two years later - mirrors and gold panels were restored here, furniture was brought in, including from.
After the revolution of 1814-1815. the empire collapsed and the Bourbons came to power again. Under Louis Philippe, many halls were completely restored. The palace became national museum, an exhibition of portraits, busts, and paintings of historical value was exhibited here.
Versailles also played a role in French-German relations. After France lost the Franco-Prussian War, the German army headquarters was located at the Palace of Versailles (1870-1871). At the beginning of 1871, the Germans proclaimed the German Empire in the Mirror Gallery. This place was chosen specifically for the purpose of humiliating the French. But a month later, a preliminary peace treaty was signed with France and the capital was moved from Bordeaux to Versailles. And only 8 years later, in 1879, French capital Paris became again.
Versailles from the 20th century to the present day
After the First World War, in which Germany was already defeated, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the palace. This time the French chose the place to restore historical justice and humiliate the Germans.
In 1952, the government allocated 5 billion francs for the restoration of Versailles. Also, from the 50s to the mid-90s of the last century, all heads of state who came to visit France had to meet with the French president in the palace.
In 1995, Versailles received the status legal entity and became government agency. Since 2010, the institution has received the name "Public Institution of the National Estate and Museum of Versailles."
What to see in Versailles: halls and interiors of the palace
Each hall, salon and bedroom is a masterpiece that shows how much talent and work was invested here.
Mirror gallery
The Gallery of Mirrors is considered the heart of the Palace of Versailles. Its area is 803 sq. m. The gallery has 357 mirrors installed parallel to 17 windows. The hall is decorated with crystal chandeliers, silver candelabra, floor lamps, vases, and Rouge de Rance pilasters topped with gilded bronze capitals based on a new design that was called the “French style” and was created by Le Brun.
The vaulted ceiling features 30 illustrations that depict the glorious history of Louis XIV during the first 18 years of his reign. Weddings in Versailles took place in the Mirror Gallery.
Royal Chapel
The chapel is located near the entrance on the right side of the building. The royal altar is surrounded by figures of ancient Greek gods. The royal coat of arms on the floor is paved with colored marble. A spiral staircase leads to the second tier of the chapel.
The Throne Room or Hall of Apollo
This hall was intended for audiences foreign delegations or patronal feasts. In the evenings, dances, theatrical or musical performances were held here.
Diana's salon
The interior of Diana's salon at the Palace of Versailles is decorated with antique busts and sculptures, painted walls, and golden vaults.
War Salon
The War Salon was created to glorify the legendary military achievements of the French. On the walls there are monumental paintings telling about victories.
Salon "Bull's Eye"
The salon window overlooks the inner oval courtyard. Persons close to the monarch or titled nobles could be here to observe the royal apartments through an opening shaped like a bull's eye.
Hall of Venus
The main attraction of the hall is the statue of the “Sun King” Louis XIV.
King's bedroom
Louis XIV was an extravagant man, he loved pomp in absolutely everything. That's why his bedroom looks like a theater set. When the king woke up and went to bed, there were selected persons in the bedroom who had the pleasure of enjoying this action. As soon as the “sun king” woke up, four servants presented him with a glass of wine, and two with a lace shirt.
Queen's bedroom
The queen's bedroom features a huge bed. The walls are decorated with stucco, portraits and various picturesque panels.
This is just a small part of the interiors that can be seen here. It is simply impossible to describe all the halls and salons.
Gardens and park of Versailles
The gardens and park of Versailles are unique; about 36,000 people worked on their construction. More than 6 million tourists visit this attraction every year.
The location of all park facilities is carefully calculated and thought out. The scale is so grandiose that it is simply unrealistic to walk around the entire garden and park complex in a day. Fountains, pools, cascades, grottoes, statues - the park was created to show the majesty of the “Sun King”.
There are approximately 350,000 trees in the area. Trees, shrubs and lawns are trimmed as intended by the creator of the complex in the 17th century.
Events and entertainment
Versailles regularly hosts various events and show. There is especially something to see here at the height of the tourist season.
Night fountain show
From May to September, a light and music fountain show is organized for guests on Saturdays. Besides the fact that the spectacle itself is indescribably beautiful, it ends with fireworks.
Ball
Before the night show, a real ball takes place in the Hall of Mirrors. Dancers demonstrate dances traditional for royal balls, and musicians perform classical music.
