Are you planning to visit Paris? Then one thing that definitely should be on your to-do list is to visit Versailles. This is a place that provides one of the best combinations of art and nature. Although the Palace of Versailles is located a bit away from Paris, it is yet the best symbol of power.
It is the balance and the symmetry of the Palace that make it one of a kind, and it is remarkable how every minor detail has been thought out while creating this palace.
To showcase the importance of this palace, we have highlighted its brief history and made a list of the important places within the palace of Versailles. Moreover, in the end, we have also shared some interesting uncommon facts about the Palace of Versailles.
Palace o Versailles: Home of the Kings
From 1662 to 1789, the Palace of Versailles was the home of the French Kings. This is why it is one of the most important landmarks in France. Although initially, King Louis XIV used to live in the Louvre, he wanted to live in a place that can showcase his elegance and greatness.
This is why in 1678 King Louis XIV left for Palace of Versailles. Not only this place served as a space that caters Monarchy system, but also during the French Revolution, it was also considered to be an important strategic place.
Four important areas of the Palace of Versailles
- The Palace
- The Gardens
- The Estate of Trianon
- The Park
The Palace
This palace become a museum in 1837. Since then this palace has had a wide range of paintings and sculptures that represent great historical figures and events. There are around 2,300 rooms in the Palace of Versailles and it occupies a space of 63,154 m2.
State Apartments:
This includes the Hall of Mirrors, the King’s State Apartment, the King’s Apartment, and the Queen’s Apartment. The Hall of Mirror is a tribute to France’s success in political, economic, and artistic spheres.
This also served as a space for waiting and meeting and was at times used for ceremonies. This is also the place where the Treaty of Versailles was signed that ended World War I.
The Private Apartments:
This includes Marie-Antoinette’s Private Chamber, the King’s Private Apartments, the Madame Pompadour’s Apartment, the Dauphin and the Dauphine’s Apartments, and Louis XV’s Daughter’s Apartments’.
However, if you are planning to visit any time soon then you will not be able to visit the Queen’s State Apartments, as it is undergoing work currently.
Historic Galleries
This includes the Gallery of Great Battles, the Crusades Rooms, the Africa, Crimea & Italy Rooms, the Empire Rooms, the Coronation Room, and the 1792 Room.
The Palace of Versailles also includes the Royal Chapel, the Royal Opera, the Congress Chamber, and the Grand Commun.
The Gardens
In 1661 it was Andre Le Notre was given the assignment to create and renovate the gardens. This project took around 40 years to be completed and each task was reviewed by the King himself. This project had utmost importance as even a large amount of soil was shifted to create fountains and canals, etc.
There was a total of four campaigns that took place to build the gardens. What makes this project unique is that there was no precedent and thus this work served as an example for many others. This garden represents harmony.
The State of Trianon
This place is also called the place of intimacy. The construction of the state of Trianon began during the reign of Louis XIV. This place has a central colonnaded gallery that opens onto the central courtyard.
It was used by the French kings as a private residence where he could spend time with Madame de Maintenon. This place was initially called ‘Marble Trainon’ as it had pink marble panels. Even today, the majority of the apartments still retain their original appearance.
The Park
This is also called the haven of greenery. The space of the park is approximately 800 acres and despite losing some of its sections during the revolution, the park still has its original outlines.
The entry is free and you can visit this anytime you want except during severe weather. It has a grand canal, the lake of the Swiss Guard, and the Rivulet of Gally.
Uncommon facts about the Palace of Versailles.
- This place was initially a hunting lodge and initially, this land was considered to be unfit for the king as the Grand Canal was indeed a stinking swamp.
- Since this place is not located near a river, it was difficult to get a water supply. Imagine the struggle they must have gone through to set up those fountains!
- At that time if you wanted to visit the garden they were obligates to follow the dress code
- At that time not only Kings and their visitors could visit the palace and the garden, but so could everyone else. However, they all were required to be well-dressed.
- For 100 years the Palace of Versailles was the most powerful place.
- The most famous area of the Palace of Versailles is the Hall of Mirrors.
- There are five chapels in the Palace of Versailles.
- This is considered to be one of the most expensive buildings in the world.
This showcases how Versailles has so much to offer from splendid chambers to gardens to parks, etc. The Palace of Versailles has always played an important role from the moments of its construction to today.
In this history, it served as a most powerful and splendid place where many French Kings and Queens lived their glorious lives. Now not only it is a symbol of power but also of harmony and balance.
There are so many places that one can visit within the Palace of Versailles, such as the private apartments, historic galleries, the private apartments, the gardens, the State of Trianon, and the Park.