Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. As the centre of the French court, Versailles was one of the grandest theatres of European absolutism. New York, The Hall of Mirrors has 30 tableaux that depict an epic story of Louis XIV's achievements and aspirations. Louis XIV wanted to show that France could produce mirrors just as fine as those produced in Italy, and consequently, all the mirrors of that hall were made on French soil.". The Grand Trianon was originally erected as a retreat for Louis XIV in 1670, but in 1687 Hardouin-Mansart built a new palace on the site. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Landscape artist André Le Nôtre created symmetrical French gardens that included ornate fountains with “magically” still water, expressing the power of humanity—and, specifically, the king—over nature. The formality and grandeur of the gardens symbolized Louis XIV's absolute power, even over nature, according to Gudek Snajder. Behind the palace, the ground falls away on every side from a terrace adorned with ornamental basins, statues, and bronze groups. At the time, much of the land around Versailles was uncultivated, allowing wild animals to flourish. The gallery extends more than 230 feet (70 metres) and is characterized by 17 wide arcaded mirrors opposite 17 windows that overlook the gardens below. 05 October 2017. "As king of France he was the embodiment of France — and his palace was meant to display the wealth and power of his nation," she said. "It's very different from, for example, Italian baroque architecture, which served as an inspiration for other European countries during that time.". Tourists in the Royal Court at the Palace of Versailles, France. Omissions? © It reflects both the beauty and culture of France and its tumultuous history. Flanking the Royal Court to the south is the Dufour Pavilion, while the Gabriel Pavilion lies to the north. The Royal Walk extends westward from the palace. Thank you for signing up to Live Science. Beyond this lies the Neptune Fountain, built by Le Nôtre between 1679 and 1681. Versailles was built to impress. Three days later the so-called “women’s march” on Versailles would force Louis XVI to relocate to Paris and spell the end of the palace as a royal residence. Stay up to date on the coronavirus outbreak by signing up to our newsletter today. Even then, centuries after its modest start as a hunting lodge, events still took place at Versailles that ultimately helped shaped the world we live in today. At the time, much of the land around Versailles was uncultivated, allowing wild animals to flourish.The chateau Louis XIII built was little more than a hunting lodge having enough space to house the king and a small entourage. "The most important message Louis XIV sent through the architecture of Versailles was his ultimate power," said Tea Gudek Snajdar, an Amsterdam-based art historian, museum docent and a blogger at Culture Tourist. By the time of the French Revolution, it had a population of more than 60,000 people, making it one of the largest urban centers in France. Other types of baroque architecture featured symbolic art, but not necessarily with the emphasis on divine right, kingly power and timeless rule. Versailles features many fountains that were technological marvels for their time. Guillaume Picon is a historian and specialist on the kings of France. Other groves include the Colonnade, the King’s Grove, the Grove of Apollo’s Baths, and the Enceladus Fountain. Spawforth notes that Louis XVI would have one of his inventions, a "Franklin chimney," installed that produced less smoke than an ordinary fireplace. Near the Grand Trianon, Marie Antoinette, the queen of Louis XVI, created an estate for herself. Vast sums of money were spent and many lives were lost in an attempt to bring water from the Eure, but work was stopped as a result of the War of the Grand Alliance. The interaction between the visitor and the king could be directed here in the most careful fashion. You will receive a verification email shortly. "It represents an age in French history of both France's rise as a fashion and power center as well as the dramatic — and bloody — decline of the monarchy.". Once she had become Dauphine, her life was constantly in the spotlight. Perhaps the most-famous room in the palace is the Hall of Mirrors (1678–89). At the far north end of the wing is the Opéra Royal, built under Louis XV by Ange-Jacques Gabriel. To the west is the Gate of Honour, a gilded iron gate and stone balustrade that marks the main entrance to the palace complex. Benjamin Franklin, acting on behalf of a newly independent United States, negotiated a treaty with Louis XVI, which led to America getting critical support from the French military. Spawforth notes that the opera required 3,000 candles to be burned for opening night and was rarely used due to its cost and the poor shape of France's finances. Spawforth notes that the palace contained about 350 living units varying in size, from multi-room apartments to spaces about the size of an alcove. The ceiling was painted by Antoine Coypel, 1708–09. That area underwent extensive remodeling in the post-Revolutionary period, and the ground floor is now dominated by the Hall of Congress, where the Chamber of Deputies met from 1876 to 1879. Under the guidance of Louis XIV (reigned 1643–1715), the residence was transformed (1661–1710) into an immense and extravagant complex surrounded by stylized French and English gardens. The north wing also contains galleries, salons, and apartments. "The ceilings are adorned with illustrations of Roman gods with Louis XIV himself painted as Apollo, the Sun God. Victory in battle features prominently in these narratives, with one example showing Louis with his army crossing the Rhine River in 1672. Louis XIV's bedroom was built on the upper floor and located centrally along the east-west axis of the palace. Charles Le Brun oversaw the interior decoration. Francis Hammond’s photographs have been published in A Day with Claude Monet in Giverny, Private Houses of France, and Historic Houses of Paris. It is located in the city of Versailles in northern France, 10 miles (16 km) west-southwest of Paris. In 1871, after France had lost a war against Prussia, Kaiser Wilhelm I was proclaimed Emperor of Germany in the Hall of Mirrors, adding an extra layer of humiliation to the French defeat. ", Marie Antoinette attempted to break some etiquette rules but was opposed by the court and the French people. The first floor is almost entirely occupied by the Battles Gallery, which was designed by architects Frédéric Nepveu and Pierre-Léonard Fontaine and was unveiled in June 1837. Beyond the Orangerie is the Swiss Lake, an artificial lake that replaced a stretch of problematic marshland that was known to the ancien régime as the étang puant (“stinking pond”). The theatre was the site of a lavish banquet for royal guardsmen on October 2, 1789, and the pro-monarchy excesses on display were reported—and likely exaggerated—by the Revolutionary press. The king had his throne in the "Apollo Salon" and worshiped in a royal chapel, which spanned two stories, which Bajou notes was built between 1699 and 1710. "He is an absolute monarch, untouchable and distant. There was a problem. The Marble Court at the Palace of Versailles, France. Updates? This interactive tool figures out your COVID-19 risk of attending an event, Alien-like photo shows snake eel dangling out of heron's stomach in midair, Birth of magnetar seen for the first time. As the center of the French court, Versailles was one of the grandest theaters of European absolutism. Having his palace evoke Italian baroque architecture would have angered Louis XIV. Directly west of the terrace is the Latona Fountain, designed by Le Nôtre and sculpted by Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy. In addition a grand canal, constructed to the west of the garden and running about a mile long, was used for naval demonstrations and had gondolas, donated by the Republic of Venice, steered by gondoliers. Please refresh the page and try again. The first floor of the central building houses the lavish apartments of the king and queen as well as numerous salons for entertaining guests and members of court. Throughout the palace you will find the intertwined L's of his name. The fountain depicts the events of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Two more pivotal events would occur at Versailles in this post-revolutionary period. She also built a "Temple of Love," which modern-day curators say can be seen from her room in the Petit Trianon. The Trianons were ransacked during the Revolution, and most of the original furniture was lost.