Palace of Versailles plan. Palace of Versailles - the majestic symbol of the French monarchy

Located 20 km southwest of Paris, the royal town of Versailles, better known as the Palace of Versailles, is a huge palace built by Louis XIV and has now become one of the most visited tourist spots in France.

The idea of ​​building a new castle arose from the king because of the envy he experienced when he saw the castle of his finance minister in Vaux-le-Vicomte. As a result, the king made a firm decision that his palace should, of course, surpass the palace of the minister in luxury. He hired the same team of craftsmen that built Vaux-le-Vicomte, the architect Louis Lévaux, the painter Charles Lebrun and the landscape architect André Le Nôtre, and ordered them to build something that would surpass the size of the palace of Vaux-le-Vicomte a hundred times. The Palace of Versailles has become the apotheosis of the indulgence of the whims of the French monarchs, and although you may not quite like the environment in which the extravagant and self-loving “Sun King” wished to live, the historical significance of this palace is enormous, the stories associated with it are truly fascinating, and the park around the palace is simply charming.

regular park Palace of Versailles- one of the largest and most important in Europe. It consists of many terraces, which decrease as you move away from the palace. Flowerbeds, lawns, a greenhouse, pools, fountains, as well as numerous sculptures are a continuation of the palace architecture. There are also several small palace-like structures in the park of Versailles.

The Versailles palace and park ensemble is distinguished by a unique integrity of design and harmony between architectural forms and a reworked landscape. Since the end of the 17th century, Versailles has been a model for the ceremonial country residences of European monarchs and aristocracy. In 1979, the Palace of Versailles and the park were included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

The history of the Palace of Versailles begins in 1623 with a very modest feudal-style hunting castle, built at the request of Louis XIII of brick, stone and roofing slate on the territory purchased from Jean de Soisy (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. Its dimensions were 24 by 6 meters. In 1632, the territory was expanded by purchasing the estate of Versailles from the Archbishop of Paris from the Gondi family, and a two-year restructuring was undertaken.

From 1661 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 began to seem unsafe to him. The architects André Le Nôtre and Charles Lebrun renovated and expanded the palace in the Baroque and Classicist styles. The entire facade of the palace from the garden side is occupied by a large Mirror Gallery, which makes an amazing impression with its paintings, mirrors and columns. In addition to it, the Battle Gallery, the palace chapel and the palace theater also deserve mention.

Around the palace, a city gradually arose, in which artisans settled, supplying the royal court. Louis XV and Louis XVI also lived in the Palace of Versailles. During this time the population Versailles and the adjacent city reached 100 thousand people, however, it quickly declined after the king was forced to move to Paris. May 5, 1789 in the Palace of Versailles gathered representatives of the nobility, the clergy and the bourgeoisie. After the king, who by law was given the right to assemble and dissolve such events, closed the meeting for political reasons, the deputies from the bourgeoisie declared themselves the National Assembly and retired to the Ballroom. After 1789, the Palace of Versailles was maintained only with difficulty. Since the time of Louis Philippe, many halls and rooms have been restored, and the palace itself has become an outstanding national historical museum, which exhibited busts, portraits, paintings of battles and other works of art of predominantly historical value.

The Palace of Versailles had great importance in German-French history. After the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, from October 5, 1870 to March 13, 1871, it was the residence of the main headquarters of the German army. On January 18, 1871, the German Empire was proclaimed in the Mirror Gallery, and Wilhelm I was its Kaiser. This place was deliberately chosen to humiliate the French. The 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 historic site was picked up by the French to humiliate the Germans. The harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles (including huge indemnity payments and admission of sole guilt) were a big burden on 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 emergence of Nazism in Germany.

After World War II, the Palace of Versailles became the site of German-French reconciliation. This is evidenced by the celebrations on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Elysee Treaty, which took place in 2003.

Many palaces in Europe were built under the undoubted influence of Versailles. These include the castles of Sanssouci in Potsdam, Schönbrunn in Vienna, Great palaces in Peterhof and Gatchina, as well as other palaces in Germany, Austria and Italy.

Since 2003 Palace of Versailles became the object of one of the projects under the patronage of Jacques Chirac - a large-scale restoration plan for the palace, comparable only to Mitterrand's project to renovate the Louvre. The project, with a total budget of 400 million euros, is designed for a period of 20 years, during which the facade and interior of the Opera will be renovated, the original layout of the gardens will be restored, and the three-meter gilded King's Grille will be returned to the inner Marble Court. In addition, after the restoration, tourists will be able to visit for free those parts of the castle that today can only be reached with an organized tour. However, over the next few years, work will be limited only to the most urgent tasks: so that the roof does not leak, so that there is no short circuit in the electrical wiring, and so that interruptions in the central heating system do not allow the palace to fly into the air, because even revolutionaries.

(Versaille Palace) near Paris, the very grandiose Versailles - the magnificent residence of the kings of France, the great collective creation of the best French architects and landscape masters. Created by Louis XIV with the clear intention of eclipsing everything built in Europe up to that time, and really eclipsed.

• Versailles is a monument to the "Sun King", a visual visualization of the idea: the monarch is the center of the universe

The hunting castle in Versailles, which became a huge palace, turned into a role model throughout Europe. It remains the benchmark today. The grandiosity of the idea and the elegance of its implementation in practice cannot leave you indifferent!

• Royal Palace of Caserta, built for the Italian branch of the Bourbons
• Russian Upper and Lower Gardens in Peterhof, Bolshoi Catherine Palace in Tsarskoye Selo
• La Granja de San Ildefonso in Spain near Segovia
• Herrenchiemsee in Germany
• many archiepiscopal, ducal residences and private residences

in one way or another borrowed the ideas implemented in the creation of the Palace of Versailles and the park!

However, he himself did not materialize out of thin air. There is an opinion that the idea of ​​building a new residence came from Louis XIV after a visit to the Vaux-le-Vicomte castle. Built near Paris by the royal treasurer Nicolas Fouquet and richness of finishes eclipsed all that existed in France before him!

Palace of Versailles in numbers

The total length of the garden facade exceeds half a kilometer (670 meters). The palace has more than 700 rooms, 1,252 fireplaces and 67 staircases. At the World The Palace of Versailles looks at the world through 2,153 windows.

The total area of ​​the building exceeds 67,000 square meters. And the whole complex with the park is spread over 8 km2. Why not a self-sufficient country?

Palace apartments to this day amaze with the luxury of decoration. Particularly distinguished are: the Mirror Gallery, a hall 73 meters long, 10.5 meters wide and 12.5 meters high, the King's Apartments, whose windows overlook the inner Marble Court, the Large and Small Royal Chambers.

The amount spent on the construction and decoration of the Palace of Versailles only in the era of Louis XIV amounted to 26 million livres!

Royal Apartments

The royal bedroom was located in the central part of the palace on the second floor and overlooked the Marble Court. In front of the bedroom was the famous and often mentioned in the historical literature "Oy de Boeuf" room (l'Oeil de boeuf, "Bull's eye"), which received its name from the oval window in the roof.

• Large apartment King, Grand appartement du Roi (dark blue)
• King's private quarters, Appartement du roi (temperate blue)
• King's small apartments, Petit appartement du roi (light blue)
• Queen's Large Apartment, Grand appartement de la reine (yellow)
• Queen's Small Apartment, Petit appartement de la reine (red)

In the Palace of Versailles, for the first time, an enfilade system of halls was implemented on a grand scale. If in previous residences French kings private chambers were designed in an intimate, intimate way, here the life of the monarch is on display.

Private quarters: bedroom, study, reception rooms - all together were to create an unforgettable impression of the incredible wealth of France.

• Louis XIV occupied rooms overlooking the Marble Court in the central part of the palace. The royal bedroom was located on the axis of symmetry, it was here that the "Sun King" died on September 1, 1715 at the age of 72)

Under Louis XV and XVI, the bedroom was used for the traditional ceremonials of lever ("rising") and coucher ("going to bed"). To the left of the bedroom is the Hoy-de-Boeuf, and to the right is the king's office, from where he ruled France. Under Louis XV, the building was expanded and turned into the Hall of Councils.

History of creation

A small hunting castle in the ancient village of Versailles, located just 15 kilometers west of Paris, arose back in the reign of Louis XIII, the father of the “Sun King” Louis XIV, who later ruled so long and so brilliantly, in 1624.

In 1632-1638, the castle in Versailles, designed by the architect Philibert de Roy, was turned into a Grand Palace U-shaped. It should be noted that during the subsequent numerous reconstructions of the building, this part of it became the center of the composition, around which outbuildings gradually grew.

The era of Louis XIV

In 1661, after the death of Cardinal Mazarin, who ruled France in the role of first minister virtually single-handedly, King Louis XIV reconsiders the role of Versailles. The idea of ​​turning a small palace into a grandiose residence is born in the head of a monarch who has finally gained real power, and its location outside Paris, the capital of France, is not at all accidental.

• The king seems to oppose himself to the heart of the nation, its largest city, declaring that it will now be the center of the universe for the French. However, the official transformation of Versailles into the center of gravity of France is slightly delayed: only in 1682 did the court finally move here.

Large-scale construction in Versailles begins in 1669. It was then that the architect Louis Leveaux significantly enlarged the former, rather modest building by lengthening the side wings that today frame the so-called Marble and Royal Courts.

The next period in the construction of the Palace of Versailles begins after the Treaty of Nijmegen, in 1678, and another outstanding architect, Jules Hardouin Mansart, is in charge of the construction (Levo died in 1670).

Under Mansart, the building received the most significant increment: the northern and southern outbuildings-wings appeared, the famous Big Gallery, later called the Mirror Gallery, was created in the central part of the building, the ministerial buildings were completed, framing the third courtyard of the complex, the Ministerial.

At the same time, Andre Le Nôtre, an outstanding landscape architect, creates a regular park, and decorator Charles Brun supervises the interior decoration.

The next stage of construction, the last in the reign of Louis XIV, begins at the turn of the century, in 1699 and ends in 1710. As a result, a number of interiors and there is a beautiful Royal Chapel, begun by Mansart and completed by Robert de Cotte.

It is impossible not to mention the construction in the park of a separate palace for the favorite of the King, the Marquise de Montespan: the Grand Trianon (Le Grand Trianon, Trianon in French means pavilion).

• Subsequently, during the First Empire, it was turned into one of his official residences by the first emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte.

After the death of the old king (in 1714), the court moved to Paris, and delegations of foreign states settled in Versailles. In 1717, the Russian Tsar Peter I also visited here, who later embodied much of what he saw in the country residence Peterhof near St. Petersburg.

Louis XV and XVI

The French court returns to Versailles in 1722, after the death of the regent, Philippe d'Orléans. Alterations of the vast palace at this time, in general, are insignificant, and mainly concern its interiors.

In the vast palace garden for the mistress of Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour, the Petit Trianon Palace, Le Petit Trianon (1762-1768), is being built. In 1763-1770, the composition of the Grand Palace of Versailles logically completes the Opera House designed by Jacques Ange Gabriel (flanked by the northern facade).

In the reign of Louis XVI, the Petit Trianon, presented to his wife, Marie Antoinette, turns into an exquisite pearl of the elegant and short-lived Rococo architectural style.

After the Revolution

During the French Revolution, the Palace of Versailles lost most of its interior decoration, but the buildings remained standing. After the restoration of the monarchy, in 1837, King Louis-Philippe turned the former residence into a national museum by decree.

Subsequently, the palace twice (in 1871 and 1940) saw German troops (in 1871, Wilhelm I was proclaimed Emperor of Germany in the Mirror Gallery of Versailles). Here, in 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, which ended the First World War.

Opening hours and ticket prices

The palace is open for visits on any day of the week, except Monday. 9 am to 6.30 pm from May to September and 9 am to 5.30 pm from October to April.

A ticket to the Palace of Versailles, both Trianons, the park (2018) will cost 20 €. 25 € is a ticket for 2 days.

Visitors under the age of 18, regardless of citizenship, and EU citizens under 26 years of age are admitted free of charge.

Of course, the main attraction of the palace and park ensemble of Versailles is the palace itself. At the entrance to Versailles you will receive a plan of the palace, according to which you can make your route. In the Palace of Versailles, you should definitely visit the Royal Chapel, which is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments the baroque era. Passing through the chapel and the network of shining gilding and crystal rooms, you will find yourself in the throne room and the famous Mirror Gallery, in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed after the First World War. In addition, an obligatory point of the program is a visit to the Queen's Chambers in the northern wing of the palace, in which almost every square centimeter of the walls and ceiling is decorated with gilding.

Every room in the palace was given a symbolic meaning, and no room - not even in apartments reserved for courtiers or members of the royal family - was left 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. Here the most important ceremonies took place every day, and no one dared to be embarrassed by the nakedness of Their Majesties. To conduct such a ceremony, at least a hundred courtiers were required, who memorized the most complex choreographic rituals.

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 please the aesthetic sense. In addition, two more palaces are located in the park of Versailles: Grand Trianon(palace in Italian) architectural style) and the Petit Trianon (a more modest building 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, weary of the radiance of the Palace of Versailles, long-awaited vacation, and the fountains, synchronized with the music, will be a real treat for your ears.

Tourists

The Palace of Versailles is located about 13 km southwest of Paris. The easiest way to get to Versailles is by metro (RER) line C - you will need to get to the station Versailles - Rive Gauche, which is located near the palace itself. In addition, trains leave for Versailles from stations Gare Montparnasse(station Versailles Chantiers) And Gare St-Lazare(station Versailles-Rive Droite). Tickets for the metro and trains cost the same - 2.80€ one way.

Opening hours of the Versailles Palace and Park Ensemble are different in high and low seasons, therefore, before traveling to Versailles, be sure to check out the palace website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/homepage. The site is available in several languages, but Russian is not among them.

You can buy tickets on the palace website, in FNAC stores (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. Firstly, you can visit the palace with a museum card - Paris Museum Pass (http://en.parismuseumpass.com/). Many other Parisian sights can be visited on 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 the Palace of Versailles separately with its famous Mirror Gallery, the chambers of the king and queen, frescoes, paintings and sculptures.

In addition to the main palace, in Versailles palace complex includes the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon and the village of Marie Antoinette. For 10€ you can buy a ticket to both Trianon and the village of Marie Antoinette. Entrance to the park of Versailles is free, but on the days of the fountains it will cost you 8.5€.

If you go to Versailles in the summer, don't forget to bring a hat or cap with you: there is practically no place to hide from the sun in the gardens, 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 present Palace of Versailles, the gardens of which amaze with their perfect grooming, there were marshy swamps. But despite these 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, to whom it seemed that it was not safe for him to stay in Paris.

According to legend, when King Louis XIV was only 5 years old, he, walking through the picturesque Tuileries Garden, looked into a puddle. The sun reflected in the water. "I am the sun!" the boy shouted happily. From that day on, Louis was affectionately referred to by his subjects and family as the "Sun King". Even in his youth, he dreamed of something big, perfect and unique, such that it would amaze the whole of Europe - better than the Louvre, Vincennes and Fontainebleau combined. It took Louis XIV 50 years to make his 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 Nôtre.

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 luxurious gardens, parks, alleys and fountains took their place.

In 1682, Louis XIV was already quite uncomfortable in the usual Paris, and the monarch decides to move to Versailles. At that time, the palace was not yet fully completed, and indeed not quite suitable for life, but the autocrat was adamant. The king has 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 initial plan was successfully implemented. The splendor of the interior decoration, perfect gardens and alleys, luxurious 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 political life in France until the French Revolution in 1789. Along with the fall of the autocracy, the symbol of which was Versailles, the palace began to fall into disrepair.

• The Palace of Versailles is number 83 on the list world heritage UNESCO.
• The days of the fountains turn into real shows: the fountains are synchronized with the music, thanks to which they make an absolutely unforgettable impression.
• Light shows are held on Saturday nights in the summer, featuring fountains and fireworks.

Chronology

• October 5, 1789: The revolutionaries expelled King Louis XVI from the Palace of Versailles.
• 19th century: Active restoration and conservation of the building began, which has not been completed to this day.
• January 18, 1871: King Wilhelm I of Prussia is crowned Emperor (Kaiser) of Germany in the Hall of Mirrors.
• 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 ending the First World War.

Versailles is a palace and park complex (Parc et château de Versailles), which is located in the same suburb of Paris. Versailles is included in the list of 100 wonders of the world, and since 1979 it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

• Grand Trianon;
• Petit Trianon (Mansion of Marie Antoinette);
• Farm of Marie Antoinette;
• gardens;
• A park.

Excursion to Versailles: information for tourists

Address: Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles, France.

How to get to Versailles

From Paris to Versailles can be reached in half an hour by high-speed RER trains, line C. In Versailles, the stop is called Versailles Rive Gauche, from there it is a 10-minute walk to the palace gates.

Another way to get there: bus number 171, which departs from the Pont de Sevres metro station in Paris. Buses run every 15-20 minutes.

Schedule

The complex is open every day except Monday, as well as official holidays: December 25, January 1 and May 1.

• Chateau - from 09:00 to 17:30 (from May to September - until 18:30);
• Large and Small Trianons, farm - from 12:00 to 17:30 (from May to September - until 18:30);
• Gardens and park - from 8:00 to 18:00 (from May to September - from 7:00 to 20:30).

Prices for tickets to Versailles

Prices are current for 2018.

Children under 5 years old - admission is free, for older children, students, as well as people with disabilities handicapped discounts apply.

From the history of Versailles

Versailles under the Bourbons

Initially, these lands were the hunting estate of Louis XIII. His son and successor, the "Sun King" Louis XIV, was crowned in 1654. After the Frondon uprising, the life in the Louvre seemed unsettling and unsafe to the “Sun King”, so he gave the order to build a palace in the Versailles lands, on the site of his father’s hunting grounds.

The construction of the palace and park complex began in 1661 under Louis XIV and continued under the reign of his son, Louis XV. Architects Louis Leveaux, François d'Orbe and painter Charles Lebrun created a grand palace in the style of classicism, which to this day has no equal.

Until 1789, Versailles was main residence kings of France. In early October 1789, people gathered on the palace square, outraged high prices for bread. The answer to the protest was the phrase of Marie Antoinette: “If they don’t have bread, let them eat cakes!”. But it is not known for certain whether she said this phrase or whether the townspeople themselves came up with it. After this rebellion, Versailles ceased to be the center secular life France, and the king with his family and deputies of the bourgeoisie (National Assembly) moved to Paris.

Palace of Versailles during revolutions and wars

The maintenance of the Palace of Versailles was not easy. When Napoleon I came to power in 1799, he took Versailles under his wing. In 1806, by order of the emperor, work began on a plan to restore the Palace of Versailles. Restoration work started two years later - mirrors, gold panels were restored here, furniture was brought, including from.

After the revolution of 1814-1815. The empire collapsed and the Bourbons came to power again. Under Louis Philippe, many halls were completely restored. The palace became a national museum; an exposition of portraits, busts, paintings of historical value was exhibited here.

Versailles also played a role in French-German relations. After France lost the Franco-Prussian War, the residence of the German army headquarters was located in the Palace of Versailles (1870-1871). In early 1871, the Germans proclaimed the German Empire in the Mirror Gallery. This place was chosen specifically for the purpose of humiliating the French. But a month later, a preliminary peace treaty was signed with France and the capital was moved from Bordeaux to Versailles. And only 8 years later, in 1879, French capital became Paris again.

Versailles from the 20th century to the present day

After the First World War, in which Germany was already defeated, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the palace. This time, the place was chosen by the French in order to restore historical justice and humiliate the Germans.

In 1952, the government allocated 5 billion francs for the restoration of Versailles. Also, from the 50s to the mid-90s of the last century, all heads of state who came on a visit to France were supposed to meet with the French president in the palace.

In 1995, Versailles received the status legal entity and became government agency. Since 2010, the institution has received the name "Public institution of the national possession and the Museum of Versailles".

What to see in Versailles: halls and interiors of the palace

Each room, salon and bedroom is a masterpiece that shows how much talent and work has been invested here.

mirror gallery

The Mirror Gallery is considered the heart of the Palace of Versailles. Its area is 803 sq. m. There are 357 mirrors in the gallery, 17 windows installed in parallel. The hall is decorated with crystal chandeliers, silver candelabra, floor lamps, vases, as well as Rouge de Rance pilasters, crowned with gilded bronze capitals based on a new design, which was called " french style and was created by Le Brun.

The vaulted ceiling features 30 illustrations that depict the glorious history of Louis XIV during the first 18 years of his reign. Weddings in Versailles took place in the Mirror Gallery.

Royal Chapel

The chapel is located near the entrance on the right side of the building. The royal altar is surrounded by figures of ancient Greek gods. The royal coat of arms on the floor is lined with colored marble. A spiral staircase leads to the second tier of the chapel.

Throne room, or hall of Apollo

This hall was intended for holding audiences of foreign delegations or patronal feasts. In the evenings, dances, theatrical or musical performances were arranged here.

Salon Diana

The interior of Diana's salon at the Palace of Versailles is decorated with antique busts and sculptures, painted walls, and golden vaults.

War Salon

The Salon of War was created to glorify the legendary military merits of the French. on the walls there are monumental canvases telling about victories.

Salon "Bull's Eye"

The salon window overlooks the inner oval courtyard. Persons close to the monarch or titled nobility could be here to watch the royal apartments through a hole that resembles a bull's eye in shape.

Hall of Venus

The main attraction of the hall is the statue of the "Sun King" Louis XIV.

King's bedroom

Louis XIV was an extravagant man, he loved pomp in absolutely everything. That is why his bedroom looks like a theatrical scenery. When the king woke up and went to bed in the bedroom, there were selected persons who had the pleasure of enjoying this action. As soon as the "sun king" woke up, four servants presented a glass of wine, and two - a lace shirt.

Queen bedroom

The Queen's bedroom features a huge bed. The walls are decorated with stucco, portraits and various picturesque panels.

This is only a small part of the interiors that can be seen here. It is simply impossible to describe all the halls and salons.

Gardens and park of Versailles

The gardens and park of Versailles are unique; about 36,000 people worked on their construction. More than 6 million tourists visit this attraction every year.

The location of all park facilities is carefully calculated and thought out. The scale is so grandiose that it is simply unrealistic to go around the entire garden and park complex in a day. Fountains, pools, cascades, grottoes, statues - the park was created to show the majesty of the "sun king".

Approximately 350,000 trees grow on the territory. Trees, shrubs and lawns are cut as it was intended by the creator of the complex in the 17th century.

Activities and entertainment

Versailles constantly hosts various events and shows. Especially here there is something to see at the height of the tourist season.

Night show of fountains

From May to September, on Saturdays, a light and musical show of fountains is arranged for guests. Besides being indescribably beautiful, the spectacle ends with fireworks.

Ball

Before the night show, a real ball takes place in the Hall of Mirrors. Dancers demonstrate dances traditional for royal balls, and musicians perform classical music.

Exposure

Exhibitions are held periodically in the galleries and other premises of Versailles. Both contemporary artists and paintings by artists of past centuries are exhibited here.

Palace of Versailles on the map of Versailles

Versailles is a palace and park complex (Parc et château de Versailles), which is located in the same suburb of Paris. Versailles is included in the list of 100 wonders of the world, and since 1979 it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The whole complex is divided into the following main areas:

• Château (main palace in Versailles);
• Grand Trianon;
• ..." />

The striking palace in the suburbs of Paris has become a symbol of the absolute monarchy and luxury of the last French kings.

He made such a strong impression on his contemporaries that many rulers of other states ordered their architects to create something similar for them.

Although all visitors to Versailles associate this palace primarily with the personality of the legendary Louis XIV, the dignity of this town was appreciated even by the grandfather of the Sun King, King Henry IV, who loved to hunt in the local forests. Henry's son and heir, Louis XIII, in 1623 ordered the construction of a small hunting pavilion there. In the early 1630s, the king bought the territory adjacent to his possessions from the Gondi family and the archbishop of Paris, and ordered a new, more representative building from Philibert Leroy.

The palace of Louis XIII was completed in 1634. It was a rectangular two-story building with two wings perpendicular to the main building.

In the central part there was a royal bedroom, it was surrounded by halls for receptions. Fragments of this layout can be seen in the building of the palace that exists today: the facades around the so-called Marble Court (Cour de Marbre) differ from all others with dark red brick facing, contrasting with light architectural details - window framing, cornices and decorative elements made of cream sandstone.

Favorite residence of Louis XIV

When his father died in 1643, Louis XIV was barely four years old and moved frequently. Officially, the Louvre was still the main royal residence, but the young king did not like Paris. Every year, together with his court, he left the capital for several months and lived in the castles of Vincennes, Fontainebleau, Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

He first visited Versailles only in 1651, and since then this place has become his favorite residence. Soon the king decided to rebuild it in order to be able to spend time together with the whole court for various entertainments. To realize this plan, he invited artists and architects.

The building was designed by the famous architect Louis Levo. two artists were involved - Charles Errard and Noel Coypel, the redevelopment of the gardens fell to André Le Nôtre, whose task also included the design of the greenhouse. The work began in 1661, and three years later the king was already able to invite guests to the first palace celebrations dedicated to theatrical performances, including Moliere's plays. At this time, Louis XIV decided to further rebuild the palace. According to the project of Levo, in 1668-1681 enveloppe were erected - two massive wings, north and south, which surrounded and almost absorbed the palace of Louis XIII. The wings, located parallel to the central axis of the palace and park complex, were oriented towards the entrance from the city, and the so-called Royal Court (Cour Royal) was located on the space formed between them. From the side of the garden facade, between the risalits of the two wings, Levo placed an arched enfilade, above which he arranged an open terrace on the upper tier. The southern wing was intended for the apartments of the ruler, while the northern one served the queen and her ladies-in-waiting.

Hall full of mirrors

Louis XIV not only made Versailles his permanent residence, but also decided to transfer the government there. To accommodate a large retinue and officials, another large-scale rebuilding was required, which began in 1678. Levo had already died by that time, and was replaced by another royal architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart. He designed the impressive Mirror Gallery (Galerie des Glares), built on the side of the garden between the projections on the site of the former observation deck. The gallery overlooks the garden with seventeen high semicircular windows, opposite which mirrors are placed on the inner wall, corresponding in shape and size to the windows.

During the day, when the garden was reflected in the mirrors, the gallery turned into an arched pavilion, surrounded on both sides by extensive flower beds, while in the evenings the mirrors multiplied the lights of the candles illuminating the gallery, increasing their brightness. On the plafond were presented plots glorifying the Sun King and his military achievements. This decoration, completed in 1686, was made from sketches and under the direction of the famous painter Charles Le Brun.

On both sides of the gallery, on the first floor of the risalits, designed by Levo, two luxurious halls were arranged - the Hall of War in the apartments of the king and the Hall of Peace in the wing that belonged to the queen.

Hardouin-Mansart also designed two massive wings with courtyards, located perpendicular to the central axis of the entire structure. The southern wing was completed in 1684, but the construction of the northern wing was suspended due to the ever-increasing cost of the project and resumed only in the 19th century. The architect rebuilt two pavilions built on the left side of the city, which were located separately from the city, placing a spacious courtyard between them, which was called the Court of Ministers (Cour des Ministres).

Louis XIV with his court moved to Versailles on May 6, 1682, when construction work was in full swing and even the royal chambers were still unfinished. Despite the inconveniences associated with life on the construction site, the king did not change his place of permanent residence, and the Palace of Versailles remained the residence of the French rulers until the 1789 revolution.

The last completed part of the Hardouin-Mansart project was the Royal Chapel, conceived by the architect as an independent building, connected to the northern wing of the palace.

Monarchs' private quarters

Despite numerous reconstructions, the Palace of Versailles looks like a harmonious whole from the inside, the features of classical baroque dominate in a single sustained style. The interiors - in particular, the so-called Grands Appartaments of Louis XIV and his wife, consisting of many rooms and connected by the Mirror Gallery - amaze with the luxury of decoration, an abundance of sculptures, stucco, gold and wall paintings representing the exploits of the Olympian gods.

IN palace and park ensemble Versailles found a place for other buildings. After purchase and demolition in 1668 small village Trianon Louis Levo built in its place the Porcelain Trianon - an ensemble of pavilions lined with white and black faience tiles.

More than ten years later, Jules Hardouin-Mansart received a decree from the king to build a new palace, which was intended for the personal needs of the ruler. In the lower part of the vast complex, located between the courtyard and the garden, you can see recreated village buildings, and elegant sculptural decorations and pink marble cladding the facade and colonnades give the entire structure an intimate sophistication.

The Trianon Palace became known as the Great (Grand) when a new residence of a similar design, called the Small (Petit) Trianon, appeared nearby. It was ordered to be built in 1761-1768 by Louis XV, the great-grandson and heir of the Sun King, for his favorite, Madame de Pompadour. Jacques-Ange Gabriel was the author of the Petit Trianon. In comparison with other buildings of Versailles, the palace really looks small, and its interiors combine features of rococo and classicism. The Petit Trianon was the favorite residence of Queen Marie Antoinette, who received it as a gift from Louis XVI.

After the French Revolution broke out in October 1789, the royal family had to leave Versailles and the palace was looted. It regained its brilliance during the time of Louis Philippe, who ordered that a museum of the history of France be built here. After the final overthrow of the monarchy, Versailles held meetings of the Congress and parliamentary elections for the President of the Republic, and the Trianon Palace served as a venue for diplomatic meetings. In the Mirror Gallery on June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed, ending the First World War.

famous gardens

The modest garden that once surrounded the palace, erected by Louis XIII, was constantly changing during the reign of his heir - it was expanded and brought to perfection, so that with its luxury it would correspond to the splendor of the building itself. André Le Nôtre, designing the garden in 1661, outlined its main features that remained unchanged during the 40 years of the project. Painters and sculptors worked together with Le Nôtre - the environment of the palace had to meet the aesthetic requirements embodied in its interiors. Closer to the garden façade, floral parterres with a strict chess composition were placed, which passed into higher so-called cabinets and bosquets, formed by trellises of sheared shrubs and trees topped with crowns of a strictly defined shape. Parterres created a frame for two fountains, decorated sculptural compositions. Closer to the palace is a multi-tiered fountain dedicated to the goddess Leto (Latone), the mother of Apollo and Artemis. A wide alley with lawns stretches from it to the fountain of Apollo. In the center is a statue of the sun god driving a chariot, surrounded by tritons and dolphins. The author of these sculptures is Jean-Baptiste Turby.

A harmonious combination of strict geometric figures of greenery and water surface is also characteristic of the far part of the garden, where Le Nôtre built two canals intersecting at right angles. The larger one, called the Grand Canal, ended in an oval pond.

Channels, numerous small fountains, waterfalls and artificial grottoes, since 1664, constituted an important part of the scenery of all kinds of performances and palace celebrations. By Grand Canal, in addition to traditional sailing boats, there were gondolas that Louis XIV received as a gift from the Venetian doges. It is noteworthy that during the time of this ruler, the costs associated with the creation and maintenance water system, amounted to one third of the cost of building the entire Versailles.

Garden complex, sustained in strict geometric proportions, with clearly marked viewing platforms, decorated with many statues and flowerpots on pedestals, has become the quintessence of features " french garden”, which in the 17th and 18th centuries was broken in many residences in Europe and America. The garden occupies an impressive area of ​​​​93 hectares, but in Versailles itself it is called the Petit Pare, because beyond it it extends incomparably large territory- more than 700 hectares - Big park(Grand Parc), where the garden surrounding the Grand Trianon Palace is located. It is arranged according to a similar geometric principle and is decorated with parterres reminiscent of oriental carpets.