| Page Views: 6,464 Last Visit to Versailles: August, 1998 | The Chateau de Versailles by Goner - last update: Oct 21, 2008 |
Capital of France for 100 Years The Palace of Versailles is one for the three most visited monuments in France. It was Louis XIV, The Sun King, who built this immense chateau to escape the busy life in Paris and to keep his nobility content. Here he set up his home and installed a government making it the headquarters of the state. It was Louis Le Vau who was commissioned to renovate and extend an old hunting lodge that was built by Louis XIII; the gardens were created from swamp land, and an architect named Mansart masterminded the hydraulic display of the fountains.
Nearly 37,000 acres of land were cleared to make room for the magnificent tree-lined terraces and walks and thousands of flowering plants. There were 1,400 fountains and 400 pieces of new sculpture. In 1676, architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart added a second story and built the magnificent Hall of Mirrors including the north and south wings. The building continued until Louis XV’s death in 1715. After his death, the chateau was abandoned for a few years.
Louis XV moved the court back to Versailles in June of 1722, where he became King. Anges-Jacques Gabriel, son of the King's First Architect, became the Official Architect for Louis XV in 1742. Gabriel supervised new additions of the Palace, including the Salon of Hercules, the Opera House and the Petit Trianon. In 1755 he redecorated with the lighter Neoclassical style, with pilasters, columns and symmetry.
More than 36,000 workers were involved in the project, and when the building was completed it could accommodate up to 5,000 people, including servants. About 14,000 soldiers and servants were quartered in annexes and in the town.
Today the park covers no more than 2,013 acres, but so large, it's nearly impossible to see it all in one day.
I was sorry to hear that many of the trees at Versaille were downed from the high winds in the area in 2008. It will be another 100 plus years before trees will be the size of those destroyed. I was fortunate to have visited before this devastation. |
|  | The End of Versailles Dynasty During the Seven Year's War France lost most of its overseas possessions to Britain. Louis XV left his successor, his grandson Louis XVI, a very large debt when he died in 1774. Despite the financial burdens, Louis XVI immediately had the gardens replanted at Versailles and a new library built in his private apartments by Gabriel. His wife, Marie Antoinette, constantly had her private apartments changed and rearranged at Versailles. She even had new portable party pavilions built that she could use to entertain her small group of friends.
In 1788 the French government went bankrupt and it's people were starving. On the morning of October 6, 1789 a mob of angry Parisians, mostly women, marched to the Palace demanding bread. They stormed the Palace, ran up the Queen's Staircase and broke into the Guard's Room, then into the Antechambre. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were taken to Paris as prisoners with their children and they never saw the Palace of Versailles again. |
| | Saving the Chateau In 1962 a decree was issued ordering all of the objects belonging to the Palace and preserved in French Collections to be brought back to Versailles. The restoration of the Palace is ongoing. Most recently the apartments on the ground floor, once occupied by the Dauphin and Dauphine, were opened to the public in 1986. Funded by two French government grants, more than 80 rooms were involved in the largest single restoration in Versailles history. Parts of the palace that had been damaged or rebuilt after the French Revolution were restored to their original design. Some of the original furniture was recovered, paintings were returned, and wall coverings were replaced. |
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| Pros: | "Gilded Rooms, Splendid Gardens, Many Works of Art, Beautiful Architecture" | | Cons: | "The Fountains weren't Spouting." | | In A Nutshell: | "A Magnificent French Landmark" |
Goner's Versailles Travel Tips
| Overview | Things to Do | | | | Restaurants | Hotels & Accommodations | | | | Nightlife | Off The Beaten Path | | | | Tourist Traps | Warnings Or Dangers | | | Transportation
Tips: 2 - Photos: 2 | Local Customs | | | | Packing Lists | Shopping | | | | Sports Travel | General Tips
Tips: 18 - Photos: 18 |
 Comments for Goner about Versailles | | | | |
Jerelis Tue Aug 14, 2007 08:15 UTC
Great page about Versailles. Always wanted to go there and about 1 month ago I did! So proud of myself :) Your beautiful photos bring back memories! | TimDaoust Sat Dec 10, 2005 01:27 UTC
Great page on Versailles! I found it very informative. This is going to help me a lot on my upcoming trip. Thanks a lot! | matcrazy1 Fri Mar 11, 2005 16:02 UTC
Awesome pictures and great, very interesting info... a lot of history and art, opss.. ART :-) | deecat Wed Sep 22, 2004 05:33 UTC
Nancy, Tremendous describes these pages! Thorough & interesting background info. Loved: Hall of Mirrors, War Drawing Rm, Grand Canal, Fountain of Apollo, & The Dying Gaul. Vibrant, dramatic photos. |
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