– residence of the French kings of the dynasty Bourbons. The masterpiece of classicism fascinates with its brilliance, and annually attracts millions of tourists from all over the world. We did not miss the opportunity to join this million.
History of creation Versailles takes us back to the reign of Louis XIV , who was nicknamed "sun king". And in the light of the sun, the ensemble really looks royal (however, in rainy weather it looks no less beautiful, maybe a little more modest).
At Louis XIII on the site of the modern palace stood an ordinary hunting lodge, which the king ordered to be built for hunting in the local area. But his son Louis XIV had their own plans for this area.
At a gala reception with his Minister of Finance Nicolas Fouquet in honor of the completion of the palace Vaux-le-Vicomte (Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte), Louis XIV was amazed by the “royal” luxury and high cost of the building, and was even enraged by the open display of all this. He himself did not have such a palace, and this hit the monarch’s pride.
Upon returning from the reception, he called his faithful assistant by name d'Artagnan– a real, not a mythical hero from novels Dumas. Louis commanded d'Artagnan deal with Fouquet, And d'Artagnan figured it out. Fouquet was arrested and imprisoned for life. And his brand new castle was confiscated. So that. And you say “you can’t forbid living beautifully.”
Inspired by the palace Vaux-le-Vicomte, Louis lured the authors of this work - architects Louis Levo And Andre Le Nôtre, as well as an artist Charles Lebrun on his side, and invited them to build a similar palace with a park for him, only that it would be “more beautiful, richer, and bigger.” There were no options to refuse - a sad image stood before my eyes Fouquet sitting in prison, and they agreed. And so it appeared.
Construction began in 1661 year and lasted for many years. An unprecedented amount of money was poured in. "Sun King" built a complex as bright and sunny as he himself was. Therefore, they are invariably associated with each other, despite the fact that Versailles complex was completed even after death Louis XIV his great-grandson and successor Louis XV. The additions were not as extensive as during "Sun King", although they also cost the treasury a lot of money. Regular spending like this became one of the prerequisites for future unrest of the French people, which will clearly manifest itself in the end XVIII century.
In parallel with Versailles Palace Ensemble the city was also being developed Versailles. Initially there lived about 500 person, and by the time they move Louis XIV along with his entire retinue in Versailles Castle, already lived in the city 30000 . The main part consisted of service personnel, as well as workers and peasants who supported the uninterrupted and needless life of the royal French court.
However, let’s return to our loved ones :)
Having entered the territory through the main gate, we found ourselves in the square, at the head of which is Palace of Versailles. “This is where they lived and didn’t bother”, I thought. The chambers of the king, queen, as well as guest rooms are located in this place. Where else could they be - not in the forest near the pond.
Finding ourselves on the other side of the fence, we didn’t understand where to start - we didn’t have any brochures, and in general we didn’t have a complete idea of what this entire architectural ensemble consisted of. It was logical to go through the main palace first, and then act according to the circumstances.
The place where the hunting castle previously stood Louis XIII now called Marble courtyard
But here, too, a small problem arose. The fountains, which we also wanted to visit, operate only twice a day - from 11 before 12 and with 15:30 before 17 . Before 15 I didn’t want to wait, and it was decided to walk through one wing of the palace, then go to the fountains and return to see the palace. That's what we did. We went to the right wing and took an audio guide in Russian. I had headphones, and I plugged them into the jack - this way I didn’t have to walk around leaning the device to my ear, which is very convenient. He looked at everyone, grinning with a satisfied face.
There are, of course, tons of people. Sitting practically on each other's shoulders, we moved from hall to hall, not forgetting to listen to the audio guide. All this was very educational.
A little less than an hour was enough for us to get around this wing. The time was approaching 11, we left the palace and headed towards the gardens and fountains. I was immediately alarmed that a man with a serious look was standing at the exit. And if you go out, they won’t let you back in. Then I did not attach significant importance to this, as I was in a hurry to the fountains.
There were also controllers at the entrance to the fountains checking tickets. There are a lot of controllers there - they stand at each object, because tickets for each object are sold separately, and you can visit not everything, but only what interests you.
Well, the time has come, and the music started playing. Fountains flowed, cameras clicked, and movement began.
There are many fountains. Wandering through the labyrinths of the gardens, you can stumble upon some small fountain. You can walk around and observe, or you don’t have to walk. After the fact, I thought that it was not worth taking tickets for them - I was not impressed. That is, fountains are just fountains, nothing special. We need to understand when they were built. Since then they have not changed significantly. Nowadays there are much more advanced and interesting fountains, so it’s difficult to surprise people actively wandering around them.
We walked through the gardens and reached a large Apollo Fountain.
Of course, they took pictures this way and that. That's probably why we were a little hungry. We sat down near the fountains on a refreshing marble bench and grabbed some prepared sandwiches. Afterwards I read on the official website Versailles that it is prohibited to have picnics, but we were not caught, which is very gratifying.
After eating and resting, we went in the opposite direction to see Palace of Versailles. And then all our fears were confirmed - a man with a serious look refused to let us back in, reinforcing his gaze with decisive gestures. He pointed to a sign that said “no entry,” smiled, and, completely satisfied with himself, turned away.
Not being particularly upset, we decided to go around the palace, assuming that we could enter from the other side. But on the other side there were no serious people, no hint of an entrance, and we went to the fence, passing along which we again found ourselves in front of a huge crowd of people trying to get inside.
This is where we started scratching our heads. It was absolutely unclear what to do next. It is quite obvious that we have not walked through the entire palace. Plus, there was a strong impression that there were still unexamined objects (I haven’t been so close to the truth for a long time, there were still 4 hours of such objects to walk). Standing rooted to the spot and thoughtfully turning our heads in all directions, we were like Stirlitz - close to failure. And then a sign for a tourist information center caught my eye on the left. Somewhere inside the subconscious, a fragile animal called “hope” stirred slightly.
We walked cautiously in that direction. Would you be in Russia, no problems would have arisen, but we were in France, with appropriate knowledge of languages. Only English at the level "es, know, aidontnow". I am still amazed how we even traveled abroad on our own, practically without knowing the language.
With trembling hands we opened the door and entered. A woman came up and asked something in English. Here I started to sweat. Hesitatingly, I began my wonderful story about the problem that fell on us like spring snow on our heads.
For half an hour there was a verbal struggle with this woman, or rather with an overseas language. The fight was unequal - the woman clearly knew more words than me. But I won. They practically explained to us that everything was not so bad. You just need to stand in line again and never leave the palace again without seeing it completely. Plus, we were solemnly presented with a plan for the ensemble in Russian, with brief description and a map-scheme. Only then did I find out that we hadn’t seen practically anything yet. Now we were armed with comprehensive information. With a self-satisfied gait, straightening our hunched shoulders half an hour ago, and raising our revived heads high, we walked to the end of the winding snake of people. The day was revived.
Free advice:
Having defended "snake" turn for the second time, we again hoped to quickly sneak through the inspection of things. But this time our trick failed. They forced me to open the backpack and found carefully packed food there - buns, sausages and lettuce. They offered to hand over the backpack to the storage room and showed the direction with their hand. I thought that, firstly, I wouldn’t be very eager to go back for my backpack, and secondly, I would be very eager to eat in a couple of hours. Therefore, on the way to the storage rooms, I pretended that I had forgotten why I was going and turned off. Expecting the frantic calls of the French, I walked without turning around, but no one paid attention to me. Everything turned out to be very simple. In this simple way, the food was saved, and we calmly went to explore Versailles castle.
On the second attempt, we examined the entire castle complex - all kinds of chambers of the king and queen, guest rooms, a mirror gallery, and everything else (there are so many halls there that I almost got lost). The scope and luxury are simply amazing - everything is gilded, bright, shiny, beautiful. There I realized the phrase "looks royal". I would love to live there for a couple of centuries.
We reached the famous Mirror gallery. This is what she looks like in the middle of the day
And like this, when there is no one, only ghosts
To be honest, I was completely confused in all these rooms. If you are not a completely boring architectural researcher Versailles, then remembering everything is unrealistic. Who lived and where, what was this or that room for. By and large, this is not that important. You just walk around and marvel at the wealth and luxury, as well as the taste with which it was all done. Everything is truly beautiful and masterpiece.
It served as a prototype for many royal residences, and became a kind of starting point for the architecture of future centuries. Many monarchs who visited Versailles were inspired to build their residences. Selflessly spent huge amounts of money, and even exceeded Palace of Versailles in wealth and grandeur. There are examples in our country - in a certain city on Neve 😉
Message quote UNESCO World Heritage: France. Palaces and parks of Versailles. Part 1
The UNESCO World Heritage List in the French Republic includes 37 items (as of 2011), this is 3.8% of the total (936 as of 2011). 33 objects are included in the list according to cultural criteria, with 17 of them recognized as masterpieces of human genius (criterion i), 3 objects are included according to natural criteria, each of which is recognized as a natural phenomenon of exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance (criterion vii), as well as 1 mixed object , also falling under criterion vii. In addition, as of 2010, 33 sites in France are among the candidates for inclusion in the list World Heritage. The French Republic has ratified the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and natural heritage June 27, 1975.
UNESCO experts decided that French gastronomic culture, with its rituals and complex organization, is worthy of inclusion in the prestigious List of Intangibles cultural heritage. For the first time in the world this status was received National cuisine, which indicates “its widespread recognition.”
Experts of the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO satisfied the request of France in the art of Alençon lace - they were included in the List of Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Food is part of the French national identity. Normandy, Provencal, Burgundian and Alsatian cuisines differ from each other as much as the inhabitants of these regions. "Need to say, french cuisine is exposed to numerous influences, which allows her to create new dishes and new tastes. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this openness, especially given the peculiarities modern society“,” notes Hubert de Canson, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to UNESCO.
Versailles - palace and park ensemble in France (French: Parc et château de Versailles), the former residence of the French kings in the city of Versailles, now a suburb of Paris; center of tourism of world importance.
Versailles was built under the leadership of Louis XIV in 1661, and became a kind of monument to the era of the “Sun King”, an artistic and architectural expression of the idea of absolutism. The leading architects are Louis Levo and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the creator of the park is Andre Le Nôtre. The Versailles ensemble, the largest in Europe, is distinguished by its unique integrity of design and harmony of architectural forms and transformed landscape. Since the end of the 17th century, Versailles has served as a model for the ceremonial country residences of European monarchs and aristocracy, but there are no direct imitations of it.
From 1666 to 1789, before the French Revolution, Versailles was the official royal residence. In 1801 it received the status of a museum and is open to the public; since 1830, the entire architectural complex of Versailles has become a museum; In 1837, the Museum of French History opened in the royal palace. In 1979, the Palace of Versailles and its park were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Many significant events in French and world history are associated with Versailles. Thus, in the 18th century, the royal residence became the place where many international treaties were signed, including the treaty that ended the American War of Independence (1783). In 1789, the Constituent Assembly working in Versailles adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen.
Chapel_and_Gabriel_Wing_Palace_of_Versailles
Northern view
South facade. Versailles 2
In 1871, after the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, the creation of German Empire. Here in 1919 a peace treaty was signed, ending the First world war and laid the foundation for the so-called Versailles system - the political system of the post-war international relations
View of the palace from the park
Versailles_-zicht_op_de_Écuries
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 located. 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.
La Victoire sur l"Espagne Marcy Girardon Versailles
Louis XIV
Since 1661, the “Sun King” 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 seemed unsafe to him. Architects Andre Le Nôtre and Charles Lebrun renovated and expanded the palace in the classicist style. The entire façade of the palace on the garden side is occupied by a large gallery (Gallery of Mirrors, Gallery of Louis XIV), which makes a stunning impression with its paintings, mirrors and columns. In addition to it, the Gallery of Battles, the palace chapel and the Royal Opera House also deserve mention.
After the death of Louis XIV in 1715, the five-year-old King Louis XV, his court, and the Council of Regency of Philippe d'Orléans returned to Paris. Russian Tsar Peter I, during his visit to France, stayed in May 1717 in the Grand Trianon. The 44-year-old Tsar, while in Versailles, studied the structure of the Palace and parks, which served as a source of inspiration for him when creating Peterhof on the shores of the Gulf of Finland near St. Petersburg (Verlet, 1985).
Versailles changed during the reign of Louis XV, but not as much as it did under Louis XIV. In 1722, the king and his court returned to Versailles and the first project was the completion of the Salon of Hercules, the construction of which began in last years the reign of Louis XIV, but due to the death of the latter it was not completed.
The Little Apartments of the King are recognized as a significant contribution of Louis XV to the development of Versailles; Chambers of Madame, Chambers of the Dauphin and his wife on the first floor of the Palace; as well as the personal chambers of Louis XV - the King's small apartments on the second floor (later rebuilt into Madame DuBarry's apartments) and the King's small apartments on the third floor - on the second and third floors of the Palace. The main achievement of Louis XV in the development of Versailles was the completion of the construction of the Opera Hall and the Petit Trianon Palace (Verlet, 1985).
Petit Trianon, palace
Small apartments of the king. Cabinet of golden service
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Gaming salon of Louis 16th
Madame DuBarry
An equally significant contribution is the destruction of the Ambassadors' Staircase, the only ceremonial route to the Great Royal Apartments. This was done to build apartments for the daughters of Louis XV.
One of the gates
Inviolability of power. French royal court.
In the decoration of the gate there are symbols of the “sun” king
Golden Gate.
Palace of Versailles; Saint Leu stone,
There have been no significant changes in the Park compared to the times of Louis XIV; Louis XV's only legacy to the parks of Versailles is the completion of the Basin of Neptune between 1738 and 1741 (Verlet, 1985). In the last years of his reign, Louis XV, on the advice of the architect Gabriel, began reconstructing the facades of the courtyards of the Palace. According to another project, the Palace was to receive classical facades from the city side. This project of Louis XV also continued throughout the reign of Louis XVI, and was only completed in the twentieth century (Verlet, 1985).
Hall of Mirrors
All accounts related to the construction of the palace have survived to this day. The amount taking into account all expenses is 25,725,836 livres (1 livre corresponded to 409 g of silver), which in total amounted to 10,500 tons of silver or 456 million guilders for 243 g of silver / Conversion to modern value is practically impossible. Based on the price of silver at 250 euros per kg, the construction of the palace absorbed 2.6 billion euros / Based on the purchasing power of the then guilder as 80 euros, the construction cost 37 billion euros. Putting the cost of building the palace in relation to the state budget of France in the 17th century, the modern sum is 259.56 billion euros.
Palace facade. Clock of Louis 14.
Almost half of this amount was spent on creating interior decoration. The best masters era Jacob, Jean Joseph Chapuis created luxurious boiserie. [source not specified 859 days] These expenses were spread over 50 years, during which the construction of the Palace of Versailles, completed in 1710, took place.
Emperor Augustus
Roman busts
The site of the future construction required a huge amount of excavation work. Recruiting workers from surrounding villages was difficult. Peasants were forced to become “builders.” To increase the number of workers on the construction of the palace, the king banned all private construction in the surrounding area. Workers were often imported from Normandy and Flanders. Almost all orders were carried out through tenders; contractors' expenses exceeding those initially named were not paid. In times of peace, the army was also involved in the construction of the palace. Finance Minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert kept an eye on frugality. The forced presence of the aristocracy at court was an additional precaution on the part of Louis XIV, who thus ensured complete control over the activities of the aristocracy. Only at court was it possible to obtain ranks or posts, and those who left lost their privileges
Fountains of Versailles
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.
Architectural elements of the palace decoration
On October 5-6, 1789, first a crowd from the Parisian suburbs, and then National Guard under the command of Lafayette, they came to Versailles demanding that the king and his family, as well as the National Assembly, move to Paris. Submitting to forceful pressure, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, their relatives and deputies moved to the capital. After this, the importance of Versailles as the administrative and political center of France decreased and was not subsequently restored.
Since the time of Louis Philippe, many halls and rooms began to be restored, and the palace itself became an outstanding national historical museum, which exhibited busts, portraits, battle paintings and other works of art mainly of historical value.
Proclamation of the German Empire in 1871
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 seat 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 Gallery of Mirrors, 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) fell heavily on the shoulders of 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.
Marble courtyard of Versailles
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. Palace of Versailles
The following kings and members of their families were born in the Palace of Versailles: Philip V (King of Spain), Louis XV, Louis XVI,
Many palaces in Europe were built under the undoubted influence of Versailles. These include the Sanssouci castles in Potsdam, Schönbrunn in Vienna, the Great Palaces in Peterhof, the Rapti Estate in Luga, Gatchina and Rundale (Latvia), as well as other palaces in Germany, Austria and Italy.
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Bust of Louis XIV by Gianlorenzo Bernini
Busts in the Hall of Mirrors
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Buste de Louis XV, Jean-Baptiste II Lemoyne (1749), apartments of the Dauphin, Louis 15
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Madame Clotilde
Buste de Charles X, 1825, François-Joseph Bosio
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Marie Antoinette
François Paul Brueys
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Salle des croisades
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Sleeping Ariadne
Escalier Gabriel
Petit_appartment_du_roi
Ceiling of the lobby
Entrance from the lobby
Lobby
Salle des gardes de la reine
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Salon Louis 14, medallion depicting a Roman legionnaire
Salon de Venus, Louis XIV en empereur romain, Jean Varin
Coat of arms of Louis Phillipe
Paintings
Reception of the Persian ambassadors by Louis XIV, COYPEL Antoine
Creator:Claude Guy Hallé (Français, 1652-1736)
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The Sun King, Jean-Léon Gérôme (Français, 1824-1904)
Ambassador Ladder Model
Staircase.ambassadors
lobby decor,
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Marie Josephine of Saxony and the Count of Burgundy, Maurice Quentin de Latour (author)
La remise de l "Ordre du Saint-Esprit, Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743)
Apartment Louis 14
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Allegories, ceiling paintings,
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Royal bedchamber in gold.
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Blue office
Marie Antoinette
Bed Madame Pompadour
Napoleon's chambers
Palace decor
Angels, ceiling of the reception room
Petit_appartment_du_roi
Library
Large office,
Diana's salon
Hercules
Mirror gallery
Coat of arms of Louis 14
Chandeliers and candelabra
Josse-François-Joseph Leriche, Queen's toilet
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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.
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 French masters were involved in the construction of the architectural and landscape complex: 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 construction big palace in France, it 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.
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.
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 of Greek gods immediately catch 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.
The throne room was intended for holding ceremonial receptions of foreign delegations. In the evening, celebrations were sometimes held here.
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.
The interior of this salon is decorated with golden arches and painted walls, antique sculptures and busts. Once upon a time in this hall there stood a large a pool table, where monarchs and courtiers entertained themselves.
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.
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 - at the royal palace at Versailles!
Is it possible to find another place as aesthetically harmonious as the Palace of Versailles?! Its external design, the elegance of the interior and the park area are made in the same style; the entire complex deserves to be strolled by representatives of the aristocracy. Every tourist will certainly feel the spirit of the times of the reign of kings, since on the palace and park grounds it is easy to try on the role of a powerful autocrat, in whose power the whole country is in power. Not a single photo can convey true grace, since every meter of this ensemble is thought out to the smallest detail.
There are probably no people who do not know where the unique structure is located. famous palace- the pride of France and the most recognizable royal residence in the world. It is located near Paris and was previously a separate standing building with a park area. With the growing popularity of this place among the aristocracy, numerous houses appeared around Versailles, in which lived builders, servants, retinues and other people admitted to the court. 
The idea of creating a palace ensemble belonged to Louis XIV, known as the “Sun King”. He himself studied all the plans and pictures with sketches and made adjustments to them. The ruler identified the Palace of Versailles with a symbol of power, the most powerful and indestructible. Only the king could personify complete abundance, so luxury and wealth are felt in every detail of the palace. Its main facade stretches over 640 meters, and the park occupies more than one hundred hectares. 
Classicism, which was at the peak of popularity in the 17th century, was chosen as the main style. Several of the best architects were involved in the creation of this large-scale project, which went through several stages of construction. Only the most famous masters worked on the decoration inside the palace, creating engravings, sculptures and other art treasures that still decorate it. 
It is difficult to say when the Palace of Versailles was built, since work on the ensemble continued even after the king settled in the new residence and held balls in elegant halls. The building officially received the status of a royal residence in 1682, but it is better to mention the history of the creation of the cultural monument in order. 
Initially, since 1623, on the site of Versailles there was a small feudal castle, where the royals and a small retinue stayed while hunting in the local forests. In 1632, the French kings' possessions in this part of the country expanded through the purchase of a nearby estate. Small construction works near a village called Versailles were carried out, but global restructuring began only with the coming to power of Louis XIV. 
The Sun King early became the ruler of France and forever remembered the rebellion of the Fronde, which was partly the reason why the residence in Paris evoked unpleasant memories for Louis. Moreover, being young, the ruler admired the luxury of the castle of the Minister of Finance Nicolas Fouquet and wished to create the Palace of Versailles, surpassing in beauty all existing castles, so that no one in the country would doubt the king’s wealth. Louis Levo, who had already proven himself in other large-scale projects, was invited to play the role of architect. 
Throughout the life of Louis XIV, work was carried out on the palace ensemble. In addition to Louis Leveau, Charles Lebrun and Jules Hardouin-Mansart worked on the architecture; the park and gardens belong to the hand of Andre Le Nôtre. The main asset of the Palace of Versailles at this stage of construction is the Mirror Gallery, in which paintings alternate with hundreds of mirrors. Also during the reign of the Sun King, the Gallery of Battles and the Grand Trianon appeared, and a chapel was erected. 
In 1715, power passed to the five-year-old Louis XV, who, together with his retinue, returned to Paris and did not rebuild Versailles for a long time. During the years of his reign, the Salon of Hercules was completed and the Small Apartments of the King were created. Great achievement At this stage of construction, the construction of the Petit Trianon and the completion of the Opera Hall are considered. 
It is simply impossible to describe the sights of the Palace of Versailles, since everything in the ensemble is so harmonious and elegant that every detail is a real work of art. During your excursions you should definitely visit the following places:
At the main entrance to the palace complex there are gates made of gold, decorated with a coat of arms and a crown. The square in front of the palace is decorated with sculptures, which are also found inside the main room and throughout the park. You can even find a statue of Caesar, whose cult was valued by French masters. 
Separately, it is worth mentioning the Park of Versailles, as it is an exceptional place, enchanting with its diversity, beauty and integrity. Here you can find amazingly decorated fountains with musical arrangements, botanical gardens, greenhouses, swimming pools. Flowers are collected in unusual flower beds, and shrubs are given certain shapes every year. 
Although the Palace of Versailles was used as a residence for a short time, it played a significant role for the country - in the 19th century it received the status of a national museum, where numerous engravings, portraits, and paintings were transported. 
With the defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, the mansions became the property of the Germans. They chose the Hall of Mirrors to declare themselves the German Empire in 1871. The French were offended by the chosen location, so after Germany's defeat in World War I, when Versailles was returned to France, the peace treaty was signed in the same premises. 
Since the 50s of the 20th century, a tradition has emerged in France according to which all visiting heads of state had to meet with the president in Versailles. Only in the 90s it was decided to move away from this tradition due to the great popularity of the Palace of Versailles among tourists. 
Monarchs of other countries who visited the French landmark marveled at the elegance and luxury of the royal residence and often, upon returning home, tried to recreate no less elegant palaces with similar architecture. Of course, you will not find a similar creation anywhere in the world, but many castles in Italy, Austria and Germany have some similarities. Even the palaces in Peterhof and Gatchina are made in the same classicism, borrowing a number of ideas. 
From historical descriptions it is known that it was very difficult to keep secrets in the palace, since Louis XIV preferred to know what was on the minds of his courtiers in order to avoid conspiracies and uprisings. There is a lot in the castle hidden doors and secret passages, which were known only to the king and the architects who designed them. 
During the reign of the Sun King, almost all decisions were made in the Palace of Versailles, because there were people here around the clock statesmen and those close to the autocrat. To become part of the retinue, one had to live in Versailles regularly and attend daily ceremonies, during which Louis often distributed privileges.
The more closely you look at the history of France, the more surprised you are at the desire of the kings to surpass their predecessors in luxury. Everyone tried to make their residence larger and richer, spending fantastic amounts of money on improvements, and Versailles in France is a vivid example of regal splendor that will take your breath away.
Today, the Versailles Museum is known throughout the world thanks to Louis XIII of the Bourbon dynasty, who wished to have his own secluded nest. In 1623, Jean de Soisy sold the lands he owned to the king, on which a small hunting lodge of five rooms grew from stone, brick and roofing slate.
Apparently, Louis XIII really lacked peace and quiet, since he chose such an unremarkable place. The French philosopher Saint-Simon said about him: “Never before have I seen a more bleak and barren place - without water, land and forest.”. Indeed, all around there were only swamps and sand, and the population was so small that in the annals of the 11th century the settlement is mentioned as a modest, unremarkable village, hidden behind a hill, whose name is explained by the name of the first feudal owner - Hugh de Versailles.
This locality arose only because it lay on the way from Normandy to, and the travelers needed to stop somewhere to rest. Louis XIII liked to spend time here with friends, and later, where the mill once stood, and later the Marble Court, a modest hunting lodge arose. Then it was difficult to predict that one day it would grow and become known as the Palace of Versailles.
Located 17.1 km southwest of the capitals of France, Versailles is now considered an important administrative center of the Yvelines department with a population of more than 85,900 inhabitants. Now it is surrounded by lush forests, and good layout, founded back in the 18th century, became a role model during the development of Washington.
Since monarchs have always been characterized by inconstancy, a thirst for change, and the desire for luxury is in their blood, already in 1632 the lands of Gondi were annexed to the king’s territory, which made it possible to significantly expand the hunting estate. The building is joined by 4 towers, 2 additional wings and a wall covering the entrance. As a defensive measure, a wall grows around and a moat appears, and now it is not just a holiday home, but a real fortified castle, ready to soon turn into a royal residence.
Louis XIV, the son of the previous monarch, turned out to be more ambitious, and in 1661 he began to reconstruct his heritage, and then finally moved into it. His desire to prove himself is understandable, because for too long the reins of government were in the tenacious hands of his mother Anne of Austria and the minister, Cardinal Mazarin.
Another reason why the Sun King decides to make the Palace of Versailles the center of government of the country is the Fronde of 1648-1653, after which the monarch did not feel too comfortable in Paris.
The inspiration for the construction of the beautiful royal palace was the luxurious residence of the Minister of Finance Fouquet - Vaux-le-Vicomte. In 1661, the minister was arrested, his property was confiscated, and the trio of architects who worked on his chateau were hired by Louis XIV on the condition that his mansion become a hundred times better.
This project turned out to be their swan song, as until the end of their days they were busy building and improving the Palace of Versailles.
Such a colossal plan required great human and financial sacrifices. All available hands were involved in the work, including peasants, soldiers and sailors from all surrounding territories. To increase the number of builders, any other construction was prohibited during the construction of the chateau, and this ensured that more than 30,000 people were on site.
As for money, the amount spent on the castle is shocking - almost 26 million livres, which corresponded to 10,521,867 kg of silver, and in modern terms this is about 259.56 billion euros. At the same time, all materials for the king were sold at extremely low prices, and if the performers went beyond the budget, they were not paid the difference.
At times, construction calmed down, but not for long, and Louis again turned his gaze to the future palace, wanting to quickly complete the grandiose project. Until 1682, he constantly moved between Versailles and Versailles, until he decided to completely move to a new residence with the entire courtyard.
This decision was dictated by several reasons. Firstly, the Sun King understood that it was possible to prevent a conspiracy in the bud only by keeping the aristocratic elite in front of his eyes. Secondly, there was constant unrest in Paris, and staying there became dangerous. Thirdly, luxurious mansions demonstrated France to the whole world as the main player in the military, political and cultural field.
The stages of construction are marked by periods of war. The first phase of reconstruction work lasted from 1664 to 1668, when the war with Spain broke out. By this time, the palace was able to accommodate up to 600 people.
In 1669, after the Battle of the Netherlands, a second three-year period of improvement began: the central part, a former hunting lodge, was changed, and the surrounding areas were remodeled. The southern wing was converted into the chambers of Queen Maria Theresa, and is almost identical to the northern wing of the Sun King, and the western area became a terrace. There was also an octagonal bathtub and children's rooms on the upper floors.
In 1678, the Dutch War ended, and the third part of work on the palace began until 1684. At this time, the western terrace turns into the Mirror Gallery, connecting the separate chambers of the crowned couple. It is distinguished by real chic and richness of decoration even today, although a large batch of decor was sold back in 1689.
New extensions appeared for princes and nobles, and two huge halls housed a greenhouse. This stage in construction is also marked by the fact that the surrounding lands are gradually turning into beautiful gardens Versailles.
1682 became the year of the official move of the royal court to a new residence, and this entailed an increase in the population of the suburb and an improvement in its well-being.
Until 1699, construction came to a standstill, as previous military campaigns and phases of work had left a significant hole in the state budget. To support the Nine Years' War, which lasted until 1710, some elements of the luxurious decor had to be sold, but after its completion, Louis XIV began the fourth stage of arrangement.
This time was marked by the construction of another chapel, which became the fifth on the territory of Versailles. Different from the rest rectangular shape and height, it changes the facade of the main building, causing criticism of the surroundings. However, later it was she who turned into the most interesting element architectural complex.
By the time five-year-old Louis XV (nicknamed the Beloved) ascended the throne after the death of the Sun King in 1715, the Palace of Versailles was already impressive with its majestic architecture, vast areas and royal interior decoration. Peter I, who visited France in 1717, did not hide his delight at what he saw and, looking at the mansion with the adjacent park, got the idea to build something similar in St. Petersburg.
Under the Beloved, significant changes also occur in the architectural complex, although not as colossal as under his parent.
The first thing he did was complete the Hercules interior. With him, the Chambers of Madame, the Dauphin and his wife also appeared, as well as the Small Chambers of the King on the lower, second and third levels.
His notable achievements were the completion of the Petit Trianon, the Opera Hall and the dismantling of the Ambassadors' Staircase leading to the Great Royal Apartments in order to arrange the princesses' rooms in its place.
As for the park, unlike Louis XIV, his son paid little attention to the park, and its only significant element was the Neptune pool, built in 1738-1741. Radical changes in the park area took place already under Louis XVI, since over a hundred years the trees had dried out, and the need to rejuvenate green spaces led to new grandiose design ideas.
The culmination of innovative ideas in the last years of his reign was the refurbishment of the premises on the advice of the leading architect Gabriel - from the city side the façade was to take classic look. Work on this project continued until the twentieth century.
At the beginning of October 1789, under the leadership of Lafayette, the National Guard and a crowd of people burst into the Palace of Versailles demanding that the royal family and the National Assembly be expelled to Paris. In order not to inflame passions even more, the top of the country submits, moving to the Louvre and, and Versailles loses its status as an administrative center and is sealed.
From this moment the decline of the castle begins. While Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are in custody awaiting execution, according to the drawn up plan to get rid of luxury and use the building for the needs of the new government, the usual looting is taking place.
Many items interior decoration they simply took it away until control was established. After this, some of the items were sent to auction, others to exhibitions.
Pondering over the fate of the palace, they offered to rent it out or sell it, but in the end they decided to leave it under the control of the republic, and until they came up with a better purpose for it, objects of art were brought here, which were later replenished in the storerooms of various museums.
But still individual elements decorations continued to disappear from the walls of the once luxurious mansion - they were sold to fill the state treasury.
The building of the former royal mansion experienced a period of decadence until it attracted the attention of Napoleon I, who returned it to the status of a residence, but now the emperor.
In 1806, he ordered the architect Jacques Gondoin to undertake restoration work, but Bonaparte rejected both of his projects, and only in 1808 were the gold and mirror panels recreated, and furniture brought from Fontainebleau and the Louvre.
When in 1814 - 1815 and the Bourbon dynasty comes to power again, the last French king, Louis Philippe I, who had several nicknames, sits on the throne: “Citizen King”, “Bourgeois King”, and finally “Pear King”. He turns the Palace of Versailles, built by order of Louis XIV, into a museum displaying historical treasures, paintings of battle scenes, portraits and busts.
But the treacherous time has prepared several more shocks, which, from the height of the past years, look like a spectacular addition to the canvas of history. So, when France turned out to be the losing side in the Franco-Prussian War, the German army settled in the palace as its headquarters (1870-1871), and in order to further humiliate the French, on January 18, in the Mirror Gallery, they announced the German Empire, and its Kaiser - Wilhelm I. But already in February, a peace treaty was signed in the same gallery, and a month later the French government returned to Versailles to settle here until 1879.
However, the insult was not forgotten, and in order to return the “favor”, at the end of the First World War, the Mirror Gallery was not chosen in vain to conclude a preliminary truce and the Vienna Treaty with defeated Germany. The Palace of Versailles in France also served as a place for reconciliation between the Franco-German parties after World War II.
Since 1952, its global restoration began, for which the government allocated 5 million francs, and also announced through all means of communication the search for patrons of the arts and issued an appeal for voluntary donations from citizens. In 1979, the architectural complex became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in 2007, the post of President of the Palace of Versailles was introduced, which was occupied by the Minister of Culture Jean-Jacques Ayagon.
Since Versailles received the status of a museum, millions of tourists flock to it every year, wanting to see with their own eyes the grandeur, splendor and abundance of the palace, where conspiracies and intrigues were the norm, from generation to generation insidious plans were perfected, backroom gossip was woven and the secrets of Versailles were created. .
Finding yourself surrounded by walls that remember the first cry of the kings born here: Philip V, Louis XV, XVI and XVIII, Charles X, you expect that one of the crowned sons of France will appear around the corner, surrounded by courtiers to the rustle of silk and knocking heels.
Such a huge area once belonged to monarchs, and today the halls of Versailles welcome curious visitors. To navigate the large area (67 thousand sq. m.), you should know that the complex has several zones: Chateau, Small and Large Trianons, the territory of Marie Antoinette’s farm and a garden and park area. In total, there are 372 statues, 67 staircases and 25 thousand windows installed in the palace premises.
The main building and the main attraction of the entire complex, where all tourists strive to get to, is the Chateau. After passing the central entrance, you will find yourself in its courtyard, from where you can head to the park or to the palace itself, where the Hall of Mirrors is its heart. In fact, this is a passage 73 m long and 11 m wide, connecting both wings of the castle.
The highlight of the Mirror Room is the 357 mirrors located opposite the 17 windows. The reflection creates the illusion that the garden surrounds the gallery on both sides, and in the evening thousands of candles once sparkled in them. It was decorated with figured floor lamps, candelabra, bronze-cut silver vases, crystal chandeliers and live orange trees, and the walls and ceiling were painted with scenes from mythology and history in which the great dramas of court life were played out. Moreover, Louis XIV himself was certainly portrayed in the role of the ancient hero.
Even the furniture here was made of pure silver (as Lebrun intended), which speaks of the original scope, but in 1689, unfortunately, it had to be melted down into coins to support the army.
There are also royal chambers, in which the central part is occupied by a bed, located at the intersection of three highways connecting the Palace of Versailles with Paris.
The queen's bedroom is also located in the Chateau, and the impressive size bed with a canopy and other interior items are decorated with gilding. There are also princess apartments nearby.
The mansion has several interesting halls, for example, the War Hall, where you can see paintings telling about past epic battles.
Not far from the entrance is the Royal Chapel. Its floor is decorated with the family coat of arms, laid out in colored marble, and around the altar there are sculptures of ancient Greek gods made of bronze. The upper tier of the chapel was occupied by the crowned family, and the lower tier by the courtiers. After the service, the king retired to one of the chambers open today to curious visitors.
Apollo Hall (or Throne Hall) – ambassadors were received here; in the evenings, celebrations or theatrical performances with musical accompaniment were held, in which the monarch often took part.
Billiards were usually played in Diana's Hall. The Salon of Plenty served as a pantry, an exhibition of the royal collection of coins and paintings by Karachi, Veronese and Titian, while in the Hall of Venus the main exhibit is a statue of Louis XIV.
The Bull's Eye salon is also of interest. Such a dissonant name was given to a room with an opening that looked like the organ of vision of a bull. It served as a window through which the courtiers could observe the monarch in his apartments.
U-shape has a greenhouse designed by Hardouin-Mansart, where more than 200 gardeners worked, caring for fruit-bearing exotics, including 3,000 pomegranate, tangerine and orange trees.
The Royal Opera House is available to view the interior at certain times, but this is subject to concert schedules. There are other rooms that can only be accessed with a guide.
The Versailles Museum has two separate palaces. The Grand Trianon has more than 30 rooms, a private courtyard and a park with ponds. It served as a chamber for the king and his family, where they could feel more frivolous without adhering to strict etiquette.
At one time, Peter I, Elizabeth II, Gorbachev, Yeltsin and other political figures stayed here.
The Petit Trianon was a kind of women's territory. The cozy two-story mansion was originally inhabited by the favorite of the King's Beloved, Madame Pompadour. This is the only woman who was allowed to spend her last days in Versailles. Louis was truly attached to her, and when she died of a lung disease, he saw her off, standing on one of the palace balconies in the pouring rain.
His parting words to her were: “Well, you chose terrible weather to take your last walk, madam.”.
Later, the Petit Trianon was occupied by DuBarry and finally by Marie Antoinette. With the exception of the bedroom, this part of the mansion had more modest decoration, but it did have its own theater, where productions with the participation of the queen were staged. Now it has been turned into a Marie Antoinette museum with original personal and interior items, and only a few have been recreated by decorators.
Those in power have their own quirks, and Marie Antoinette had a small village right on the territory of Versailles near her palace. Having a lot of free time, she amused herself by milking cows, weeding beds, feeding birds, or decorating animals with colored ribbons.
Stalls for goats and cows, a dovecote and roosts for chickens were built here, and 12 houses were also inhabited, and the “peasants” were strictly ordered to maintain a pastoral appearance.
This village has been recreated with animals and is open to visitors.
The park part surprises with its perfectly flat surface. Even when construction began, the architects leveled the site so carefully that not a single bump remained on it. The area of the gardens of Versailles occupies about 5 square meters. km, replete with paths, green bushes and trees, fountains and lakes, impeccable lines of green lawns.
Sitting on the balcony of his chambers, the king loved to watch theatrical performances that took place in the Marble Court, and it was here that Moliere first staged The Misanthrope. And above the windows of Louis’s chambers the clock counted down the time, but was stopped at the moment of his death.
The monarch loved to walk under the arches and among the marble columns or have dinner meals among them. The theme of the ancient gods was close to him, and the gardens of Versailles were lavishly decorated with their figures.
Directly in front of the Mirror Gallery, two oblong pools stretch parallel to each other, behind which the Grand Staircase leads down, and at its foot, surrounded by four stone vases, lies a pond with the Latona fountain, decorated with many gilded figures.
Further, an alley with mighty trees along it leads to a spacious green clearing, behind which, in a large pool, Apollo drives a chariot drawn by four of Neptune’s own water horses - the hippocampi. The Apollo Fountain was formed under the direction of the sculptor Tube, who took the sketches of C. Lebrun as a basis.
To the north of the palace there is a parterre decorated with the figures of “Crouching Venus” and “The Grinder”. From there, a staircase leads to the “Sirens” and “Crown” pools, which have a rounded shape, as well as to the “Pyramid” fountain, in which gilded dolphins and newts splash.
To see how the “Dragon” fountain throws a stream of water 47 meters into the air, you need to walk along the famous “Water Alley”, created by J. Hardouin-Mansart, and which has another name - “Theater of Water”. It is notable for the fact that it is framed by 14 small round ponds, creating a single stepped ensemble with bronze images of children holding a bowl filled with flowers and fruits.
In addition to many lakes and pools with fountains, the gardens of Versailles abound in terraces, and the further you get from the palace, the more their level gradually decreases. In addition, it’s nice to stroll along the alleys, imagining how Marie Antoinette once walked along the same path, admiring the sculptures and the play of water jets released by mythological animals.
A park filled with grottoes, pavilions, a system of water channels, vegetation and observation decks looks so thoughtful that it has been called “little Venice”.
Once you visit the grandiose “nest” of monarchs, this event will become the main thing in your life for a long time. The entertainment that takes place here will allow you to plunge into the colorful past of France, to attend a real ball at court, where gallant ladies and gentlemen in magnificent costumes dance in the same way as they did several centuries ago to classical music.
After that, every Saturday (May-September), when most tourists leave the Palace of Versailles, a night show with illuminated fountains and music begins for ticket holders, and the final scene at 23:00 is a grandiose fireworks display blooming over the Grand Canal.
Musical fountains are a wonderful sight, caressing the eyes and ears, and they turn on on weekends and holidays.
In addition to the delightful shows, permanent and temporary exhibitions of paintings by contemporary painters and artists of past eras are noteworthy, there are themed rooms, and after reconstruction, the Royal Opera House opened, where plays are staged and concert performances are held.
To quickly move around the vast territory of the complex, you can rent a bicycle for 6 euros, a Segway, an electric car (if you have international rights) or for 7.5 euros you can ride from Chateau to Trianon on a tourist electric train.
Visitors are offered to rent a boat and take a pleasant walk along Little Venice and the Grand Canal.
If you are tired and hungry, you can have a snack in a cafe with an open veranda. Several places offer juices, potatoes and other snacks to take away, and if you want to sit in comfort, check out the restaurants near the picturesque places in the garden.
Visiting Versailles itself is a dream that comes true once in a lifetime, and not for everyone, and therefore you want to keep a souvenir in memory of the trip. In the museum store you can buy candles, books, albums, tapestries for pillows with original embroidery, bags, medals and coins, dishes, figurines, even a jar of raspberry jam in a gift box and other items.
Tickets to Versailles for visiting the farm, Chateau and Trianons - 18 euros, with working fountains - 25 euros.
Buy tickets to Versailles at low prices
A ticket for two days with full admission to all attractions is 25 euros, with working fountains - 30 euros.
Benefits are available to students, people with disabilities and children aged 6-17 years.
Purchasing a FORFAIT LOISIRS card will allow you to travel for free public transport and will serve entrance ticket to the Palace of Versailles and its park part.
Please note: video and photography can only be done after additional payment.
When choosing a day to visit the palace, you need to take into account that it is especially crowded here on weekends. Tuesday is also a busy day since most museums have a day off and people flock here. Also, in order to avoid long queues, it is better to reserve an early morning or 15:30-16:00 for the excursion.
Photo gallery Versailles
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