Only representatives of the royal family have always had the right to die in the chambers of the Palace of Versailles. But for the sake of the Marquise de Pompadour, who was the official favorite, friend and adviser of Louis XV, dedicated to almost all the secrets of Versailles, the king made an exception.
She was smart, prudent, did not let the ruler get bored and relied on his passion for art, inviting the most famous and interesting people of that time - Montesquieu, Voltaire, Buffon and others. Therefore, she managed to preserve the goodness of the king even when the lung disease did its dirty deed, undermining health and destroying beauty.
She died at the age of forty-three in the palace chambers and was buried in Paris near her daughter. They say that when the funeral procession headed for the capital, the king, standing on one of the balconies of Versailles in the pouring rain, said: last time take a walk, madam. " There was a deep sadness behind this joke.
The Palace of Versailles is located in one of the most respectable cities in France, Versailles, twenty kilometers from Paris in the southwest direction, at the address: Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles. On the geographic map world, this unique architectural monument can be found at the following coordinates: 48 ° 48 ′ 15.85 ″ s. w, 2 ° 7 ′ 23.38 ″ h. etc.
The history of Versailles began when Louis XIV saw the castle of the Minister of Finance of Vaux-le-Vicomte, which in beauty, scale and grandeur significantly surpassed such royal residences as the Louvre and Tuilere. Such a "sun king" could not stand, and therefore decided to build a castle, which would be a symbol of his absolute power. He did not choose the city of Versailles for the construction of a new royal residence: just recently, the Frondian uprising took place in France, and therefore living in the capital seemed quite dangerous to him.
Palace construction
The construction of the palace began in 1661 and more than 30 thousand builders were involved in the work (in order to increase the number of workers, Louis forbade all private construction in the vicinity of the city, and in Peaceful time soldiers and sailors were sent to the construction site). Despite the fact that literally everything was saved during construction, a huge amount of money was spent as a result - 25 million liras or 19.5 tons of silver (almost 260 billion euros). And this, despite the fact that building materials were sold to the king at the lowest prices, and the costs of the performers, if they exceeded the estimate, were not paid.
Despite the fact that it was officially opened in 1682, construction work did not stop there, and the palace complex was constantly growing due to the construction of new buildings until the French Revolution of 1789. The first architect of this unique monument of Baroque architecture was Louis Leveaux, who was later replaced by Jules Hardouin-Monsard. Andre Le Nôtre was responsible for the decoration of the parks, which was carried out simultaneously with the construction of the palace, and the royal painter Lebrun was responsible for the interior decoration.
The work was difficult: first, it was necessary to drain the swamps, fill them with earth, sand and stones, then level the soil and create terraces. Instead of a village located there, it was necessary to equip a city where courtiers, servants and guards were supposed to settle.
In parallel with this, work was going on in the gardens. Considering that Louis XIV was called "the sun king", Le Nôtre planned the park of Versailles so that its alleys, when viewed from the upper floors of the palace, diverge from the center, like the rays of the sun. At the initial stage of the work, it was necessary to dig canals and build a water supply system, which was originally intended to supply water to fountains and artificial waterfalls.
Considering that more than fifty fountains and ponds had to be supplied with water, this work was not easy - and the aqueduct that was originally built was not enough. In the end, after numerous trials and attempts, a hydraulic system was created, into which water came from the Seine flowing nearby.
Louis XIV died without completing his building in 1715, and after his death Louis XV, who was then only five years old, and with him the whole court for some time left for the city of Paris. True, he did not stay there for long, seven years later he returned to Versailles and after a while ordered to continue construction work.
One of the significant changes he made to the layout was the demolition of the Ambassadors' Staircase, the only ceremonial road leading to the Great Royal Chambers - this he did in order to build rooms for his daughters. He completed work on the opera house and, at the insistence of his favorite Madame Pompadour, built the Lesser Trianon.
In the last years of his life, Louis XV took up the reconstruction of the facades: according to one project, it was supposed to be work from the side of the courtyards of the castle, in another way, it was supposed to create facades in the classical style from the side of the city. It should be noted that this project lasted an extremely long time and was completed only at the end of the last century.
Description of Versailles
Experts say that the castle of Versailles was a place where the monarchs, and with them the royal court, rested on a large scale, weaved intrigues, conspiracies and created numerous secrets of Versailles. This tradition was founded by Louis XIV - and it was successfully continued by his descendants, and reached special proportions under Marie Antoinette, who loved to have fun with the courtiers and create the history of France, intriguing and creating the secrets of Versailles.
In the final version, the total area of the palace premises, excluding the park, was about 67 thousand square meters. There were installed 25 thousand windows, 67 stairs, 372 statues.
This is the main building in which several generations of French rulers lived. Officially, one could enter the castle through the main entrance - a cast-iron latticed gate decorated with gold with a royal coat of arms and a crown. In front of the main facade of the castle, from the side of the Mirror Gallery, two equally elongated pools, faced with granite slabs, were installed.
On the right side of the entrance, a two-story royal chapel was arranged (the second tier was intended for the monarch and his family members, there were courtiers below). In the northern part there were the King's large apartments, consisting of seven salons, in the southern part - the chambers of the first ladies.
In total, Versailles has about seven hundred rooms for various purposes. The throne room of the palace was called the Salon of Apollo - here the monarch received foreign ambassadors, and in the evenings theatrical performances and musical performances were often held here.
One of the most famous premises is the Mirror Gallery, which has always played an important role in the life of the palace: significant receptions were held here, for which a silver throne was installed, as well as balls and lavish festivities (for example, royal weddings). Here the courtiers crowded in anticipation of the king as he headed to the chapel - this was an excellent opportunity to submit a petition to him.
The mirror gallery has always looked remarkable: its seventeen arch-shaped window openings overlook the garden, between them there are huge mirrors that visually enlarge the space (the gallery has 357 mirrors in total). The ceiling is extremely high, about 10.5 meters, and the room itself is 73 meters long and 11 meters wide. Since many of the mirrors are installed opposite the windows, it seems as if the gallery has windows on either side. It is interesting that until 1689 the furniture here was made of pure silver, but then it was melted down into coins, which covered military expenses.
Grand Trianon
Classic style castle faced with pink marble. Monarchs were used for a wide variety of purposes: from meetings with favorites and ending with hunting.
Little Trianon
The palace represents a transition from the Rococo style to classicism and was built on the initiative of one of the favorites of Louis XV, the Marquise de Pompadour. True, she died several years before the completion of construction, and therefore another favorite, Countess Dubarry, lived in it. When Louis XVI became king, he handed over the castle to Marie Antoinette, where she rested from palace life (even the king had no right to come here without her permission).
After a while, next to this palace, the queen built a small village with thatched roof houses, windmill- in a word, since she imagined the life of the peasants.
Park and gardens
The Palace of Versailles and the park are two inseparable concepts. The gardens of Versailles consist of a huge number of terraces that gradually decrease with distance from the castle. They occupy an area of about one hundred hectares, and this whole territory is absolutely flat and it is impossible to find any small mound on it.
There are several palace buildings, among them - the Big and Small Trianon, the Empress Theater, Belvedere, the Temple of Love, the French pavilion, the grotto, and there are also observation decks, alleys, sculptures, a system of fountains and canals, because of which the gardens of Versailles were nicknamed "Little Venice".
The further fate of Versailles
For about a hundred years, the Palace of Versailles was the residence of the French kings. So, it was until, as a result of the uprising of 1789, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were arrested and redirected to the city of Paris, where after a while they laid down their heads on the guillotine. After that, the Palace of Versailles almost immediately ceased to be the administrative and political center of France, and it itself was plundered, as a result of which many masterpieces were hopelessly lost.
When Bonaparte came to power, he took the castle under his protection and ordered to start developing a plan to restore the palace complex (for this, furniture was brought from Fontainebleau and the Louvre). True, all plans failed, and his empire collapsed. This was only good for Versailles, because the Bourbons returned to power, they began to actively restore the castle, and then handed it over to the museum.
The role of the castle in the life of society was not limited to this, and the secrets of Versailles continued to be created on its sidelines: when the Germans captured Versailles during the Franco-Prussian war, they placed the main headquarters here, and proclaimed the German Empire in the Mirror Gallery. Here, a month later, they signed a peace treaty with France, after which the French government sat in the palace for some time.
After the end of the First World War, the French, in order to take revenge on the Germans, forced them to sign the Treaty of Versailles in the Mirror Gallery. But forty years after the Second World War, a French-German reconciliation took place in the Palace of Versailles. After the war, the French began to collect money everywhere for the restoration of the castle, and over time, many lost values returned to Versailles, UNESCO added it to its list, and at the beginning of the twenty-first century it joined the Association of European Royal Residences.
How to get to Versailles
Those wishing to get to Versailles on their own should take into account that the Palace of Versailles is closed for visits on Mondays. In addition, knowledgeable people do not recommend going here on Sunday, when the French have a day off, and on Tuesday - on this day, most of the museums in Paris are closed, and therefore many people come here. In order to avoid queues, it is better to arrive early in the morning or between 15.30 and 16.00.
Anyone who wants to get to this architectural monument on their own must first get to Paris, which is the closest to Versailles. big city... Then there are several options: you can get to the Palace of Versailles by train or by bus.
Then you need to independently get to railway station and take one of the three Versailles Paris train routes (the journey will take about forty minutes). If you use line C, then it should be borne in mind that the train leaves from here every fifteen minutes, and you will need to pay about 2.5 euros for a ticket. But a trip from Paris Saint Lazare station will cost one euro more. In addition, once an hour there is a train from Paris Montparnasse to the city where the residence of the kings is located.
Those wishing to travel by bus to Versailles on their own can be advised to use the route number 171, which stops at the Pont de Servres station at the terminal station of the ninth metro line. In this case, the journey will take about thirty-five minutes, and the ticket will be cheaper - about one and a half euros.
Versailles Versailles
Versailles, city in France, southwestern suburb of Paris. It was first mentioned in 1075. In 1682-1789 it was the main residence of the French kings. The palace and park ensemble of Versailles grew out of the hunting castle of Louis XIII (1624, rebuilt in 1631-34, architect F. Leroy), converted in several construction periods (1661-68, architect L. Levo; 1670-74, architect F. d " Orbet; 1678-89, architect J. Hardouin-Mansart) into a vast palace dominating the surroundings (facade length 576.2 m) with lavish decoration of ceremonial and residential interiors and a park. Paris, to royal palaces Saint Cloud and Co. They also formed the basis of the plan for the city of Verona, where the nobility settled. The junction point of these roads in the courtyard of honor (courtyard of honor) is marked by the equestrian statue of Louis XIV. The middle road on the other side of the palace is continued by a spectacular main alley with the basins of Latona and Apollo and with the Grand Canal (length 1520 m), which forms the axis of symmetry of a clear network of straight alleys of a huge regular park with geometrically correctly trimmed trees (1660s, architect A. Le Nôtre), with elegant pavilions, fountains, decorative sculpture (F. Girardon, A. Kuazevox, etc.). The facade of the palace, facing Paris, is formed by: the Marble Courtyard (1662, architect Levo), the Court of Princes (right wing, later called "Gabriel's wing", 1734-74; royal chapel - 1689-1710, architect Hardouin-Mansart; left - " wing of Dufour ", 1814-29) and the Courtyard of Ministers, flanked by the wings of ministerial buildings and a cast-iron lattice (1671-81, architect Hardouin-Mansart). The facade of the palace from the side of the park is made up of the central (from 1668, architect Levo, completed by the architect Ardouin-Mansart), the southern (1682) and northern (1685, both by the architect Arduin-Mansart) buildings; Opera theatre at the end of the northern building (1748-70, architect J. A. Gabriel, sculptor O. Pazhu). The interior decoration of the palace was carried out in the 17th-18th centuries. (architect Hardouin-Mansart, Levo, painting by Charles Lebrun, etc.). To the north of the Grand Canal - the palaces Grand Trianon (1670-72, architect d "Orbe, according to the plans of the architect Levo, 1687, architect Arduin-Mansart) and the Small Trianon (1762-64, architect Gabriel), which adjoins landscape park(1774, A. Richard) with the Belvedere (1777), the Temple of Love (1778), the Maly Theater (1780, all - architect R. Meek) and the "village" of Marie Antoinette (1783-86, architect Meek, artist J. Robert) ... In 1830 the ensembles of Versailles were transformed into National Museum Versailles and Trianons.
Literature: M. V. Alpatov, Architecture of the Versailles ensemble, M., 1940; Benoist L., Histoire de Versaille, P., 1973.
(Source: "Popular Art Encyclopedia." Edited by V. Polevoy; Moscow: Publishing House Soviet encyclopedia", 1986.)
Versailles(versailles), palace and park ensemble of the 17th – 18th centuries. near Paris. In the years 1682-1789. - the main residence of the French kings. Louis XIII built a hunting castle here (1624; architect F. Leroy) and laid out a park. His son Louis XIV planned to create his country residence in Versailles; at the same time he wished to preserve his father's castle, adding new buildings to it (architects L. Levo, 1661-68; F. d'Orbet, 1670-74; J. Hardouin-Mansart, 1678-89). The central part of the palace is U-shaped. In the depths, behind two ceremonial courtyards, one can see the facade of the old castle. To the left and to the right, like the wings of a giant bird, the lateral bodies are spread out. Facades are designed in style classicism; their composition and decor are distinguished by simplicity and conciseness. The main facade of the three-story palace faces the road to Paris. The second front floor (mezzanine) is the highest. A balustrade runs along the flat roof that completes the walls of the façade. In the following centuries, the palace was partially rebuilt. The rooms of War and Peace and the famous Mirror Gallery (designed by Charles Lebrun) have survived from the interiors of the times of Louis XIV. Tall mirrors on one wall match the windows on the opposite. This visually expands the space of the hall. The interiors are decorated with marble cladding, gilding, luxurious crystal chandeliers and carved furniture; walls and plafonds decorated with picturesque compositions. The decoration is sustained in the so-called. "Big style", combining elements baroque and classicism. Some of the interiors of the times of Louis XV, created in the style of rococo.
The huge Versailles Park (1660s; architect A. Le Nôtre), created during the reign of Louis XIV, is a classic example of a French, or regular, park. Its territory is divided into regular geometric shapes by bosquettes (shrubs, cut in the form of smooth walls), lawns and giant water mirrors of pools, enclosed in perfectly square, round or hexagonal frames. The central planning axis of the ensemble is its semantic core. It passes strictly through the central part of the palace, where the chambers of Louis XIV were located. On the one hand, the road to Paris continues, on the other, the main alley of the park. On the central axis is the fountain "The Chariot of Apollo" - the god who personified Louis XIV, "the sun king". The park, the facades of the palace, located to the left and right of the axis, are built according to the laws of symmetry. The garden is decorated with a greenhouse, flower beds, fountains and sculptures.
The Versailles Park also includes the Grand Trianon (1678-88; architects J. Hardouin-Mansart, R. de Cott) and the Little Trianon (1762-64; architect J. A. Gabriel). The latter was built under Louis XVI for Queen Marie Antoinette in the early classicism style of the 18th century. Next to it is a charming landscape park (1774; architect A. Richard) with a lake and a decorative village with a mill and a dairy farm (1782-86; architect R. Meek). The ensemble of Versailles, the brilliant festivals held there, and the style of court life of the French kings had a tremendous influence on European culture and architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries.
(Source: "Art. Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia." Edited by Prof. AP Gorkin; Moscow: Rosmen; 2007.)
Synonyms:
See what "Versailles" is in other dictionaries:
Versailles- Versailles. Castle. VERSAILLES (Versailles), a city in France, a suburb of Paris. About 100 thousand inhabitants. In 1682 1789 the residence of the French kings. Tourism. Mechanical engineering. The largest palace and park ensemble in the style of French classicism of the 17th - 18th centuries. Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
Versailles, a city in France, southwest. suburb of Paris, adm. c. dep. Yveline. Grew up near the hunting castle founded by Louis XIV in 1661, but the name was mentioned already in 1074: apud Versalias near Versailles, present-day. Versailles. Name… … Geographical encyclopedia
versailles- I, M. Versaille. Palace residence fr. kings near Paris. A role model for modern monarchs in Europe. It was considered as the center of sophistication, subtle and flattering diplomacy, etc. by the Paraphrase of Versailles, at least in relation to ... ... Historical Dictionary of Russian Gallicisms
Versailles- (Odessa, Ukraine) Hotel category: Address: 18 Dvoryanskaya Street, Odessa, 65000, Ukraine ... Hotel catalog
Versailles- (Obninsk, Russia) Hotel category: Address: Kurchatova Street 41, Obninsk, Russia ... Hotel catalog
- (Versailles) main city French department of the Seine and Oise, 19 km by southwest from Paris, on a waterless hill, connected to Paris by two lines railroad... About 40,000 residents involved in the manufacture of watches, weapons, ... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
Versailles- (Dombay, Russia) Hotel category: Address: Pikhtovy Mys 1, Dombay, Russia, O ...
Versailles is a beautiful palace and park ensemble of France, in the native language the name of such a famous historical heritage sounds like this - Parc et ch 226; teau de Versailles, this place is the former residence of the French kings in the city of Versailles, today it is a suburb of Paris, a center of tourism of world importance, here a record number of visitors every day. Palace of Versailles is the most Grand Palace in Europe. Versailles is the main city of the Seine-et-Oise department, and is located 17 kilometers from the capital of France, and is a suburb of Paris.
In 1623, Versailles was a very modest hunting castle, built at the request of Louis XIII of stone and brick, and covered with slate roofing. The hunting castle was now in the place where the marble courtyard was. Years later, Versailles was built under the strict supervision and guidance of King Louis XIV since 1661, and became an artistic and architectural expression of the idea of absolutism, and a kind of monument to the era of the "Sun King". The well-known leading architects at that time - Louis Levo and Jules Hardouin-Mansart worked on the current work of art, and the landscape designer - André Le Nôtre became the creator of the park. Palace ensemble Versailles is the largest in Europe, it is distinguished by the harmony of architectural forms, the unique integrity of the concept and the transformed landscape. Since the end of the 17th century, Versailles has been a model for ceremonial country residences European monarchy and aristocracy, but no one was able to repeat the great masterpiece. Over time, a city arose around the palace.
Versailles is part of the history of the development and revival of France. It was the official residence of the royal family from 1682 right up to the French Revolution in 1789. Later, in 1801, the Palace of Versailles received the status of a museum and was opened for visiting residents of France and visitors; and in 1830 the whole architectural complex Versailles; then the Museum of the History of France was opened in the palace in 1837. The Palace of Versailles and the park were included in the list of the world cultural heritage UNESCO in 1979.
A lot of significant events in the history of France and, incidentally, the whole world are associated with this place. The 18th century was a place for the residence of the signing of treaties, many international treaties were signed at Versailles, one of them was in 1783 the treaty to end the War of Independence in the United States. On August 26, 1789, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was adopted by the National Constituent Assembly, this is the most important document of the Great French Revolution. Then in 1871, during the Franco-Prussian War, France admitted defeat, and Versailles became the site of the proclamation of the German Empire. In 1875 the French Republic was proclaimed. And 1919 was the final year for the First World War, a peace treaty was signed at the Palace of Versailles, which marked the beginning political system post-war international relations - the Versailles system.
The Palace of Versailles is famous for its gardens; many terraces are scattered across their territory, which go down, as you move away from the palace. The flower beds, greenhouse, lawns, pools, fountains and numerous sculptures are a continuation of the palace architecture. Park decorate a large number of fountains. One of the most beautiful is the Fountain of Apollo, where Tyubi depicted the chariot of an ancient god, harnessed by four horses, which regally and swiftly emerge from the water, and the newts trumpet their shells, announcing the approach of God. The area of the park and gardens is 101 hectares, the length of the park facade of the palace is 640 m., The length of the Mirror Gallery in the center of the palace is 73 m, width: 10.6 m, height: 12.8 m. There are 17 windows in Versailles overlooking the park and symmetrical mirrors on the opposite wall.
Versailles is a palace complex famous for its architectural structures.
The Main Palace Complex is the residence of the royal family and is a fine example of French classicism. A semicircular Armory Square offers a beautiful view of the palace with its three courtyards: the Courtyard of Ministers, with equestrian statue Louis XIV in depth. The Royal Court, access here was available only to royal carriages, and the Marble Court, surrounded by the ancient buildings of the hunting castle of Louis XIII.
The main attractions of Versailles: the Salon of Venus, the Royal Chapel, the Salon of Apollo and the Hall of Mirrors, or the Mirror Gallery, 17 huge mirrors of which, located opposite the tall windows, fill the space with light, visually pushing the walls apart. Opera, created by Gabriel in 1770 on the occasion of the wedding of Louis XVI to Marie Antoinette: an oval room decorated with gilded wood carvings on a blue background.
The gallery of military battles contains 30 epic paintings dedicated to the triumph of French arms. Busts of 82 generals are installed along the walls, and the names of the heroes are engraved on 16 bronze plates.
The Grand Trianon is a pink marble palace built by Louis XIV for his beloved Madame de Maintenon. Here the monarch loved to spend his free time. Later, the palace was home to Napoleon and his second wife.
The Petit Trianon is a palace built by King Louis XV for Madame de Pompadour. Later, the Lesser Trianon was occupied by Marie Antoinette, and even later by Napoleon's sister.
Versailles can be reached from the Gare Montparnasse train station by train, and the Montparnasse Bienvenue metro is the twelfth metro line. Exit to the station directly from the metro, you need to go to the Versailles Chantiers stop, it will take about 20 minutes. Then walk another 10-15 minutes and you are in the majestic palace complex of France - Versailles. A transport ticket costs 5 euros round trip.
The castle is visited from May to September, Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm. And the fountains work from early April to early October on Sundays, and from July 1 to September 30 and on Saturdays. Versailles receives 4,000,000 visitors annually.
The demonstration of the luxury of the French Empire at the Palace of Versailles is striking in its scale. This ensemble is included in all textbooks on landscape art as a standard. The halls are luxurious apartments, in the fresh air there are wonderful views and landscapes. There is something to see here.
A nice bonus only for our readers is a discount coupon when paying for tours on the site before September 30:
- AF500guruturizma - a promo code for 500 rubles for tours from 40,000 rubles
- AFTA2000Guru - a promo code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Thailand from 100,000 rubles.
And many more advantageous offers from all tour operators you will find on the website. Compare, choose and book tours at the best prices!
More than one architect worked on the appearance of Versailles, as is the case with the construction of palaces. The birth of the Versailles miracle of architecture and landscape began a little less than four centuries ago. King Louis XIII of France loved to hunt in the forests surrounding the small village of Versailles, 20 kilometers from Paris. For the rest of the tired hunters, he decided to build a small castle there. This building became the first castle of the king in Versailles.
Versailles turned into a royal residence only during the reign of Louis XIV, or as he was called the sun king.
When he was 20 years old, in 1662, he decided to create an architectural and park masterpiece here, following the example of the one built by the then Minister of Finance of France Nicolas Fouquet, only a hundred times better. He invited the same architect as Fouquet - Louis de Vaux.
The master of landscape art André Le Nôtre worked on the park, who had already created the famous Vaux-le-Vicomte by that time. To create the park, 800 hectares of swamps had to be drained. In this ensemble, it was not the castle itself that became the main thing, but the unification of the palace and the park in the same style.
In 1682, the king, along with all the courtiers, began to live in the Palace of Versailles. From that moment on, the once small town begins to turn into a royal residence, sparkling with its luxury. But to the forty-year-old Louis XIV, the palace begins to seem insufficiently majestic. He invited the then very famous architect Jules Hardouin Mansart, who ordered him to change the appearance of the palace as soon as possible.
For this, two five hundred meter wings were completed, two floors were built on. The king's bedroom was located on the second floor. The famous mirror gallery, also created by Mansart, was enclosed by the halls of War and Peace. The building has completely changed, becoming grandiose. A balance has been struck between the grandiose scale of the park and the palace. The ensemble turned out to be majestic, as it should be to demonstrate the greatness of the monarch.
Halls of the Palace of Versailles
All accounts related to the construction of Versailles have survived to our times. The estimated amount spent on the construction of Versailles, according to experts, in terms of modern money, about 260 billion euros. Most of this amount was spent on the interior decoration of the halls and galleries.
In the stunning Hall of Mirrors, on a 70-meter wall, there are 17 very large and beautiful mirrors separated by gilded lamps in the form of sculptures. In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed here, which determined the post-war fate European states... The chapel, decorated in a white and gold baroque style, was the wedding site of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
All rooms and suites are furnished with great luxury and grace. Every nook and corner, including the ceiling and walls, is carved in wood and marble. Everything is decorated with frescoes, paintings, sculptures. There is an opera and a theater in the palace with a large oval hall illuminated by 10,000 candles.
A must-see is the queen's chambers in the north wing of the palace. In them, every centimeter is decorated with gilding.
Interestingly, the center of the palace was not the throne room or even the study. All important decisions were made in the royal bedroom.
Versailles palace park
The day flies by as you walk through the palace park. Absolutely everything here speaks of care and attention. Carefully trimmed trees are planted along the Grand Canal. The setting sun is reflected in the water surface.
Garden sculptures have been selected with great skill. There are 50 beautiful fountains in the park.
Fountains do not always work. Before visiting Versailles, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the timetable on the website. But if you find yourself on this particular celebration of music and water, then remember this show forever. The jets of fountains dance synchronously to the music. On Saturday summer nights, there are light shows with fountains and fireworks.
Against the backdrop of these manicured gardens, fountains, lakes, ponds, carefully selected flowers in the flower beds, turn on your imagination and you will find yourself at the ball of the royal court.
Other sights of Versailles
On the side opposite to the palace are the Small and Grand Trianon. Trianon means a small, elegant villa.
Louis XIV built the Grand Trianon of pink marble, a one-story pavilion in the Italian style surrounded by a garden. In the main palace, the king even had to dine with a large crowd of spectators. The Trianon was supposed to be a place of retreat.
The Petit Trianon is a fairly simple building, commissioned by Louis XV by the architect Gabriel for Madame du Barry in 1773.
Later it became the favorite place of Marie Antoinette, who also wanted to retire from the formalities of the main palace. Behind this pavilion, on the banks of the pond, she set up a small village with a dairy farm.
Working hours
The opening hours of the Palace of Versailles are best viewed on the website. It usually operates from April to October from 9:00 to 18:30, the rest of the time from 9:00 to 17:30, except Monday.
Ticket price
The entrance to the park is free. But on the days of the fountain, it will cost about 8 €. There are several types of tickets for visiting the palace and other buildings. You can visit the palace separately and see its halls, the Mirror Gallery, the chambers of the king and queen. A full ticket to visit on fountain days costs more than on other days.
How to get there on your own
There are several ways to get to the palace:
On the metro RER yellow line C to the Versailles-Rive Gauche terminus. Leaving the station, turn right and walk along the royal street to the main entrance of the park.
Take the train from Gare Montparnase or Gare St-Lazar, respectively, to Versailles-Chantiers or Versailles-Rive Droite.
From Pont de Sevres metro station, take bus 171 to Place d Armes in Versailles.
You can also drive along the A13 motorway.
Use the services of kiwitaxi and at the airport, at the specified time, the driver will be waiting for you, help with the luggage and promptly take you to the hotel. Several car classes are available - from economy to Minibus with 19 seats. The price is fixed and does not depend on the number of passengers and the address within Paris. Taxi from / to the airport is convenient and comfortable way get to the right place.
Of course the main attraction palace and park ensemble Versailles is the palace itself. At the entrance to Versailles you will receive a plan of the palace according to which you can plot your route. In the Palace of Versailles, be sure to visit the Royal Chapel, which is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments the baroque era. Passing through the chapel and the network of rooms shining with gilding and crystal, you will find yourself in the throne room and the famous Mirror Gallery, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed after the First World War. In addition, a must-see on the program is a visit to the Queen's Chambers in the northern wing of the palace, in which almost every square centimeter of walls and ceiling is decorated with gilding.
Every room in the palace was given a symbolic meaning, and not a single room - not even in an apartment reserved for courtiers or members of the royal family - was kept private. The center of the palace was not at all the throne room or study. Much more importance was attached to what happened in the royal bedchamber. The most important ceremonies took place here every day, and no one dared to be ashamed of the nakedness of their Majesties. To conduct such a ceremony, no less than a hundred courtiers were required, who performed the most complex choreographic rituals by rote.
Of course, you can enjoy the luxury of the interior decoration of the chambers of the palace, but you can have a great day walking in the park of the Palace of Versailles. Well-groomed gardens, fragrant flower beds, musical fountains - there is everything that can only delight the aesthetic feeling. In addition, there are two more palaces in the park of Versailles: the Grand Trianon (a palace in the Italian architectural style) and the Petit Trianon (a more modest structure designed for the famous mistress of Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour). The park also houses the village of Marie Antoinette, a small farm with a thatched roof. The modest decoration of the Petit Trianon and the graceful asceticism of the village of Marie-Antoinette will give your eyes, tired by the radiance of the Palace of Versailles, a long-awaited rest, and the fountains, synchronized with music, will become a real delight for your ears.
For tourists
The Palace of Versailles is located about 13 km southwest of Paris. The easiest way to get to Versailles is by metro (RER) on line C - you will need to get to the station Versailles - Rive Gauche, which is located not far from the palace itself. In addition, trains leave for Versailles from train stations. Gare montparnasse(station Versailles chantiers) and Gare st-lazare(station Versailles - Rive Droite). Metro and train tickets cost the same - 2.80 € one way.
Opening hours of the Versailles palace and park ensemble vary in high and low seasons so be sure to check the palace website before traveling to Versailles: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/homepage. The site is available in several languages, but Russian is not included.
You can buy tickets on the palace website, at FNAC shops (http://www.fnac.com/localiser-magasin-fnac/w-4), at the tourist office, which is located near the Versailles - Rive Gauche station, and, finally, at the box office of the palace itself.
When buying tickets to Versailles, it is very important not to get confused as they have many varieties. First, you can visit the palace with the Paris Museum Pass (http://en.parismuseumpass.com/). Many other Parisian attractions can be visited with the same card, but if you are not going to visit all the museums of Paris in a short time, it simply will not pay off.
A full ticket to Versailles costs 25 € on fountain days and € 18 when the fountains are closed. For 15 € you can visit separately the Palace of Versailles with its famous Mirror Gallery, the chambers of the king and queen, frescoes, paintings and sculptures.
In addition to the main palace, the Versailles palace complex also includes the Grand Trianon and the Little Trianon and the village of Marie Antoinette. For 10 € you can buy a ticket to both Trianons and the village of Marie Antoinette. The entrance to the Park of Versailles is free, but on fountain days it will cost you € 8.5.
If you travel to Versailles in the summer, do not forget to bring a hat or cap with you: the gardens have almost no shelter from the sun, so you can easily overheat.
Story
Now it is difficult even to imagine that at the beginning of the 17th century, on the site of the current Palace of Versailles, the gardens of which are striking in their perfect grooming, there were swamps. But despite such unfavorable natural conditions, this area southwest of Paris attracted the attention of Louis XIII, who in 1624 ordered the construction of a small hunting castle here. And in 1661, Louis XIV remembered this castle, who thought that it was unsafe for him to stay in Paris.
According to legend, when King Louis XIV was only 5 years old, while strolling through the picturesque Tuileries Gardens, he looked into a puddle. The sun was reflected in the water. "I am the sun!" The boy shouted joyfully. From that day on, the subjects and the family affectionately called Louis "the sun king". Even in his youth, he dreamed of something big, perfect and unique, such that would amaze the whole of Europe - better than the Louvre, Vincennes and Fontainebleau put together. It took Louis XIV 50 years to make this dream come true! The Sun King turned his father's hunting castle into the largest palace in Europe! The interior decoration was entrusted to the painter Charlevy Lebrun, and the design of the gardens was entrusted to André Le Nôtru.
The "Sun King" was able to arrange a truly sun-like palace in Versailles, worthy of his greatness. Eight hundred hectares of swamps, where the king's father loved to hunt, were drained, and their place was taken by luxurious gardens, parks, alleys and fountains.
In 1682, Louis XIV became completely uncomfortable in his usual Paris, and the monarch decided to move to Versailles. At that time, the palace was not yet fully completed, and in general it was not quite suitable for life, but the autocrat was adamant. The king dreamed of the Palace of Versailles for so long that he can no longer wait - and the entire royal court is forced to follow Louis.
The palace complex of Versailles was created with the aim of glorifying France, and this original idea was successfully implemented. The splendor of the interior decoration, ideal gardens and alleys, magnificent fountains, the scale of the palace and park ensemble - all this made the guests of the French court freeze in admiration.
The Palace of Versailles was the center of French political life until the Great French Revolution in 1789. Along with the fall of the autocracy, the symbol of which was Versailles, the palace began to fall into desolation.
- The Palace of Versailles is number 83 on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
- The fountain days turn into real shows: the fountains are synchronized with the music, making an absolutely unforgettable impression.
- Summer Saturday nights are light shows featuring fountains and fireworks.
Chronology
- October 5, 1789: The revolutionaries expelled King Louis XVI from the Palace of Versailles.
- SXIX century: An active restoration and conservation of the building began, which has not been completed to this day.
- January 18, 1871: In the Hall of Mirrors, King Wilhelm I of Prussia is crowned Emperor (Kaiser) of Germany.
- February 26, 1871: A peace treaty is signed at Versailles, ending the Franco-Prussian War.
- June 28, 1919: The Treaty of Versailles is signed, stipulating the conditions for the end of the First World War.
