Palace and park ensemble Versailles. Palace of Versailles in Paris

Quote message UNESCO World Heritage: France. Palaces and parks of Versailles. Part 1

The UNESCO World Heritage List in the French Republic includes 37 items (for 2011), which is 3.8% of the total (936 for 2011). 33 properties are listed by cultural criteria, with 17 of them recognized as masterpieces of human genius (criterion i), 3 properties are included by natural criteria, each of which is recognized natural phenomenon of exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance (criterion vii) and 1 mixed property also meeting criterion vii. In addition, as of 2010, 33 sites in France are among the candidates for inclusion in the World Heritage List. The French Republic ratified the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage on 27 June 1975.

UNESCO experts have decided that the French gastronomic culture, with its rituals and complex organization, is worthy of being included in the prestigious Intangible List. cultural heritage. For the first time in the world, this status was given to national cuisine, which indicates "its universal recognition".
The experts of the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO satisfied the request of France in the art of Alencon lace - included in the List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Food is part of the French national identity. Normandy, Provencal, Burgundy and Alsatian cuisines differ from each other in the same way as the inhabitants of these regions. “It must be said that French cuisine is subject to numerous influences, which allows it to create new dishes and new tastes. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this openness, especially given the characteristics of modern society,” says Hubert de Canson, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to UNESCO.

Versailles is a palace and park ensemble in France (fr. Parc et château de Versailles), the former residence of the French kings in the city of Versailles, now a suburb of Paris; tourism center of world importance.

Versailles was built under the leadership of Louis XIV from 1661, and became a kind of monument to the era of the "Sun King", an artistic and architectural expression of the idea of ​​absolutism. The leading architects are Louis Le Vaux and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the creator of the park is Andre Le Nôtre. The ensemble of Versailles, the largest in Europe, is distinguished by a unique integrity of design and harmony of architectural forms and the transformed landscape. From the end of the 17th century, Versailles served as a model for the ceremonial country residences of European monarchs and aristocracy, but there are no direct imitations of it.

From 1666 to 1789, until the French Revolution, Versailles was the official royal residence. In 1801 it received the status of a museum and is open to the public; since 1830 the whole architectural complex Versailles; in 1837, the Museum of the History of France was opened in the royal palace. In 1979, the Palace of Versailles and the park were included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Many significant events in French and world history are associated with Versailles. So, in the 18th century, the royal residence became the site of the signing of many international treaties, including the treaty that ended the American War of Independence (1783). In 1789, the Constituent Assembly, which worked in Versailles, adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.

Chapel_and_Gabriel_Wing_Palace_of_Versailles
northern view

South facade. Versailles 2

In 1871, after the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, in Versailles, occupied by German troops, the creation of the German Empire was proclaimed. Here, in 1919, a peace treaty was signed that completed the First world war and laid the foundation for the so-called Versailles system - the political system of post-war international relations

View of the palace from the park

Versailles_-zicht_op_de_Écuries
The history of the Palace of Versailles begins in 1623 with a very modest 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 from the 14th century. The hunting castle was located in the place where the marble courtyard is now located. Its dimensions were 24 by 6 meters. In 1632, the territory was expanded through the purchase of the Versailles estate from the Archbishop of Paris from the Gondi family, and a two-year rebuilding was undertaken.

La Victoire sur l "Espagne Marsy Girardon Versailles

Since 1661, the "Sun King" Louis XIV began to expand the palace in order to use it as his permanent residence, since after the Fronde uprising, living in the Louvre seemed unsafe to him. The architects André Le Nôtre and Charles Lebrun renovated and expanded the palace in the classicist style. The entire facade of the palace from the garden side is occupied by a large gallery (Gallery of Mirrors, Gallery of Louis XIV), which makes an amazing impression with its paintings, mirrors and columns. In addition to it, the Battle Gallery, the palace chapel and the Royal Opera are also worth mentioning.

After the death of Louis XIV in 1715, the five-year-old King Louis XV, his court, and the Regency Council of Philippe d'Orléans returned to Paris. The Russian Tsar Peter I, during his visit to France, stayed in May 1717 at the Grand Trianon. The 44-year-old Tsar, while at Versailles, studied the arrangement of the Palace and parks, which inspired him to create Peterhof on the shores of the Gulf of Finland near St. Petersburg (Verlet, 1985).

Versailles changed during the reign of Louis XV, but not as extensively as it was under Louis XIV. In 1722 the king and his court returned to Versailles and the first project was the completion of the Salon of Hercules, the construction of which had begun in last years reign of Louis XIV, but due to the death of the latter, it was not completed.

The Small apartments of the King are recognized as a significant contribution of Louis XV to the development of Versailles; The chambers of Madame, the chambers of the Dauphin and his wife on the first floor of the Palace; as well as the private chambers of Louis XV - the small apartments of the King on the second floor (later rebuilt into the apartments of Madame Dubarry) and the small apartments of the King on the third floor - on the second and third floors of the Palace. The main achievement of Louis XV in the development of Versailles was the completion of the construction of the Opera House and the Petit Trianon Palace (Verlet, 1985).

Petit Trianon Palace

Small apartments of the king. Office of the golden service

Playroom Louis 16

Madame Dubarry
An equally significant contribution is the destruction of the Ambassadors' Staircase, the only ceremonial route to the Grand Royal Apartments. This was done for the construction of apartments for the daughters of Louis XV.

One of the gates

The inviolability of power. The French royal court.

In the decoration of the gate, the symbols of the king-"sun"

Golden Gate.

Palace of Versailles; stone Saint Leu,

There were no significant changes in the Park, compared with the times of Louis XIV; the only legacy of Louis XV in the parks of Versailles is the completion of the Neptune Basin between 1738 and 1741 (Verlet, 1985). In the last years of his reign, Louis XV, on the advice of the architect Gabriel, began the reconstruction of the facades of the courtyards of the Palace. According to another project, the Palace was to receive classical facades from the city side. This Louis XV project also continued throughout the reign of Louis XVI, and was only completed in the 20th century (Verlet, 1985).

mirror hall

All accounts related to the construction of the palace have survived to our time. The amount taking into account all expenses is 25,725,836 livres (1 livre corresponded to 409 g of silver), which in total amounted to 10,500 tons of silver or 456 million guilders for 243 g of silver / Recalculation to the modern value is almost impossible. Based on the price of silver at 250 euros per kg, the construction of the palace absorbed 2.6 billion euros / Based on the purchasing power of the then guilder as 80 euros, the construction cost 37 billion euros. Putting the cost of building the palace in relation to the state budget of France in the 17th century, we get the modern amount of 259.56 billion euros.

Facade of the palace. Clock of Louis 14.
Almost half of this amount was spent on the creation interior decoration. The best masters of the Jacob era, Jean Joseph Chapuis created luxurious boiserie. [source not specified 859 days] These expenses were distributed over 50 years, during which the construction of the Palace of Versailles, completed in 1710, was underway.

Emperor Augustus

Roman busts

The site of the future construction required a huge amount of land work. Recruitment of workers from the surrounding villages took place with great difficulty. Peasants were forced to become "builders". In order to increase the number of workers in the construction of the palace, the king banned all private construction in the area. Workers were often imported from Normandy and Flanders. Almost all orders were carried out through tenders, the expenses of the performers, exceeding those originally named, were not paid. In peacetime, the army was also involved in the construction of the palace. Finance Minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert kept an eye on frugality. The forced presence of the aristocracy at court was an additional precaution on the part of Louis XIV, who thus secured for himself complete control over the activities of the aristocracy. Only at court was it possible to receive ranks or posts, and those who left lost their privileges
Fountains of Versailles

On May 5, 1789, representatives of the nobility, clergy and bourgeoisie gathered in the Palace of Versailles. 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 could only be maintained with difficulty.

Architectural elements of the decoration of the palace
On October 5-6, 1789, first a crowd from the Parisian suburbs, and then the national guard under the command of Lafayette, came to Versailles demanding that the king and his family, as well as the National Assembly, move to Paris. Subject to forceful pressure, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, their relatives and deputies moved to the capital. After that, the importance of Versailles as the administrative and political center of France declined and was not restored in the future.
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.

Proclamation of the German Empire in 1871

The Palace of Versailles was of great importance in German-French history. After the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, 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 conditions of the Treaty of Versailles (including huge indemnity payments and recognition of sole guilt) laid a heavy burden on the shoulders of the young Weimar Republic. Because of this, it is widely believed that the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles were the basis for the future emergence of Nazism in Germany.

Marble Court of Versailles
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. Palace of Versailles

The following kings and members of their families were born in the Palace of Versailles: Philip V (King of Spain), Louis XV, Louis XVI,
Many palaces in Europe were built under the undoubted influence of Versailles. These include the castles of Sanssouci in Potsdam, Schönbrunn in Vienna, Great palaces in Peterhof, the Rapti Manor in Luga, Gatchina and Rundale (Latvia), as well as other palaces in Germany, Austria and Italy.

Bust of Louis XIV by Gianlorenzo Bernini

Busts in the Hall of Mirrors

Buste de Louis XV, Jean-Baptiste II Lemoyne (1749), apartments of the Dauphine, Louis 15

Madame Clotilde

Buste de Charles X, 1825, Francois-Joseph Bosio

Marie Antoinette

Francois Paul Brueys

Salle des croisades

Sleeping Ariadne

Escalier Gabriel

Petit_appartement_du_roi

lobby ceiling

Entrance from the lobby

Lobby

Salle des gardes de la reine

Salon Louis 14, medallion depicting a Roman legionnaire

Salon de Venus, Louis XIV en empereur romain, Jean Varin

Coat of arms of Louis Philippe

Reception of the Persian ambassadors by Louis 14, COYPEL Antoine

Creator: Claude Guy Hallé (Français, 1652-1736)

Sun King, Jean-Léon Gérôme (Français, 1824-1904)

Ambassador ladder model

Staircase.of.ambassadors

lobby decor,

Mary Josephine of Saxony and the Count of Burgundy, Maurice Quentin de Latour (author)

La remise de l "Ordre du Saint-Esprit, Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743)

Allegories, ceiling painting,

Royal bedchamber in gold.

blue cabinet

Marie Antoinette

Bed Madame Pompadour

Napoleon's quarters

Angels, the ceiling of the reception room

Petit_appartement_du_roi

Library

large cabinet,

Salon Diana

Hercules

mirror gallery

Coat of arms of Louis 14

Josse-François-Joseph Leriche, Queen's toilet

Palace of Versailles (fr. Château de Versailles)- one of the French royal residences, which was built in the suburbs of Paris, the city of Versailles, in the 17th century. Today it is one of the most popular attractions not only in France but also in the world.

The complex of the Palace of Versailles, which includes several more "small palaces" and a park, is the largest in Europe. Despite the splendor and size, the general view of the Palace of Versailles is holistic, it does not create a feeling of heaps of elements and excess, which allowed it to become a model for other royal residences of the Renaissance. But Versailles itself became a symbol of the immoderate and irrational spending of public money at the peak of the absolute monarchy. This palace is interesting, since it is unlikely that in the next historical period there will be residences anywhere that can outshine Versailles.

Story

Construction history Versailles complex quite simple, it can be retold in just one sentence: King Louis XIV, at the peak of both his own power and the strength of France itself, wanted a new residence and built it. But the political background and the role of Versailles in world history is very extensive and interesting.

Location before construction

Versailles was a small village at some distance from Paris, about 20 kilometers from the center French capital. The first mention is found in a document of 1038, then a certain feudal lord Hugh de Versailles owned it. The settlement was on the busy road from Paris to Normandy, but plague and war virtually destroyed the village in the following centuries.

The story related directly to the royal palace begins in 1575, when the Florentine Albert de Gondi, who made a career at the court of Charles IX, received these lands in his possession. Then, at the beginning of the 17th century, at the invitation of the Gondi family, Louis XIII came to Versailles to hunt. The king liked the area very much and in 1624 a small royal hunting residence was built here. After the death of the last representatives of the Florentine family, the lands pass into the possession of the crown.

Extension of the Château of Versailles

In 1632, after the annexation of the lands of Gondi, the first expansion of the hunting house takes place. Two auxiliary wings, a wall covering the entrance, and four towers were completed. A moat was dug around, and the territory was protected by a separate wall. Thus, a small hunting lodge was turned into a fortified country house. royal residence. The future Louis XIV lives here, who became king at the age of 5, was crowned only in 1654 and began to really rule only in 1661. By the beginning of the reign of Louis XIV, the future main palace expanded even more, two large outer wings appeared, several auxiliary buildings, the outer walls were updated.

In parallel, political processes are taking place, which influenced the fact that it was the Palace of Versailles that in the future became the permanent location of the royal court. Until 1661, his mother, Anna of Austria, and the minister, Cardinal Mazarin, ruled for the king. The future king, miraculously survived civil war- Frondu, understood that he had to concentrate power in his hands, but he acted with extreme caution. After waiting for the death of the cardinal in 1661, Louis XIV announced that he was beginning to rule personally, without the help of the first minister.

In the same 1661, Nicolas Fouquet was arrested, who held the position of Minister of Finance in France, thanks to which he made himself a huge fortune and gained power. Fouquet just in 1661 completed the construction of a personal residence, another famous French palace - Vaux-le-Vicomte. This estate was arrested, and the trio involved in the construction: Louis Leveau (architect), André Le Nôtre (specialist in gardens and parks) and Charles Lebrun (artist, also involved in interiors) went to work for Louis, who was struck by the beauty of the palace of the main financier.

André Le Nôtre is also famous for building the park that later became Champs Elysees.

Construction of the royal palace at Versailles

The transformation of Versailles from a country estate into the palace that we see today was carried out in three stages, each of which began between the wars led by Louis XIV. At the same time, the royal court completely moved here from the Louvre only in 1682, but de facto the king spent much of his time in Versailles even before that.

The construction of a new royal residence pursued many political goals. Firstly, Louis XIV, who supported absolutism, was afraid of betrayals and coups, therefore he preferred to keep the aristocratic elite nearby. Secondly, it was more dangerous to be in Paris than in a country residence if there was an uprising among the people. Thirdly, the king's possession of a palace of this level of luxury strengthened his power not only in France, but also on the world stage. Under Louis XIV, France was at the pinnacle of cultural, political and military power, and the Palace of Versailles was one of the proofs of this.

First stage

The work of the first stage of the reconstruction of the palace and the park of Versailles began in 1664, and ended in 1668, as France began a war with Spain. At this time, the castle and the park were expanded to be able to receive a large number of guests, up to 600 people.

Second phase

After the end of the war for the Netherlands, in 1669, a second building campaign began in Versailles, which lasted 3 years. The main changes are the complete restructuring of the central part, which used to be a hunting lodge.

The north wing was converted into apartments for the king, and the south wing for the queen. West Side was turned into a terrace, which would later become the famous Mirror Gallery. A unique luxurious octagonal bath filled with hot water was also equipped. The upper floors were occupied by private rooms, as well as apartments for royal children.

It is interesting and very unusual that the chambers for the king and queen were of the same size and almost mirror-like layout. Given the attitude of Louis XIV towards his wife, Maria Theresa, most likely, a political goal was pursued - in the future to unite the two kingdoms on equal terms, but these plans could not be realized.

Third stage

After the end of another war, the Dutch, in 1678, the third campaign for the construction of Versailles began, stretching until 1684. It was during it that the most famous room, the Mirror Gallery, was built on the site of the terrace. It connected the chambers of the king and queen and became famous for its luxurious decoration, which amazes even now, although in fact a significant part of the luxury items were already sold in 1689.

From the new buildings in Versailles, two large wings appeared, which housed the greenhouse, the chambers of the princes of the blood, as well as rooms for the representatives of the nobility who lived in the palace. In addition, it was during this period that considerable attention was paid to the park part.

The main historical milestone was 1682, when the royal court officially moved to the Palace of Versailles from the Louvre, and the nobility was actually obliged to settle next to the king, which led to an increase in the population and prosperity of the city of Versailles.

Fourth final stage of construction

For a long time, nothing was built in Versailles, since the state budget sank heavily due to wars, and in 1689 an edict was adopted against luxury, and even some of the decoration of the royal palace was sold to sponsor the Nine Years' War. But some time after its completion in 1699, the last building campaign of Louis XIV began, which became the longest and ended in 1710.

Its main goal was the construction of a new chapel, the fifth for Versailles in a row. In addition to her, small changes were made to the palace itself, but they were not significant. At the same time, the building of the chapel greatly influenced the appearance of the palace, because, due to its height and rectangular shape, it changed the appearance of the facade, which caused criticism even in those years. But still, both the architectural style of the Baroque and the rich interior decoration made the Versailles Chapel one of the most interesting elements of the complex.

Palace of Versailles after Louis XIV

Louis XV also made changes to the palace. Their scale is incomparable with the works of his father, but still quite significant. Internal interiors The main building was remodeled, in particular - for the construction of chambers for the daughters of the king, the Staircase of the Ambassadors, the only main staircase of the palace, was destroyed.

Of the main architectural innovations of this period, the Petit Trianon, a separate rather modest palace for the favorite - Madame Pompadour, as well as the Royal Opera are usually distinguished. The project of a permanent theater on the territory of the palace appeared even under its predecessor, but it was Louis XV who found the funds for the theater, which at that time became the largest in Europe and which still functions today.

It is interesting that Peter I visited Versailles. During the trip, he was settled in the Grand Trianon, a separate castle for the king, intended for rest from officialdom. The Russian emperor was inspired by the palace during the construction of Peterhof, but did not copy either the look or the style, but only the general idea.

The reign of Louis XVI was reflected, first of all, in the park of Versailles. It has been significantly altered, mainly because many of the trees have dried up in the hundred years since they were planted. Also, some changes were made to the interiors and facades.

After the revolution

With the beginning of the revolution in France, Louis left the Palace of Versailles and settled in Paris in the Tuileries, and the old residence came under the control of the inhabitants of the city of Versailles. The management was able to protect it from looting, Louis XVI then tried to take out the furniture, but this could not be done.

After the arrest of the king, the Palace of Versailles was sealed, and then a plan was drawn up to reduce luxury and further use of the complex. A significant part of the furniture was sold at auctions, except for especially valuable exhibits that were sent to the museum. The palace itself and the surrounding areas were going to be sold or rented, but in the end they decided to leave it in the possession of the Republic and use it "for the public good." Various confiscated valuables were brought here, which later became the basis of the museum fund. At the same time, the palace itself fell into disrepair, and Andre Dumont took up its restoration, but even then, decor and interior elements were sold to cover government expenses.

Napoleon changed the status of the Palace of Versailles back to the residence of the ruler, although he himself did not live in the main building, but in the Grand Trianon. But the exhibits with him were distributed to other museums. Versailles also served as a branch of the Invalides, having received this status even before the emperor came to power.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the palace played an important role in history. Here the German Empire was proclaimed, then the Franco-Prussian peace was signed, and then the famous Treaty of Versailles, which put an end to the First World War.

Global changes were made by Louis Philippe I, who again turned the Palace of Versailles into a museum dedicated to French greatness. This status has actually been preserved to this day, although the museum has been reorganized since that time, and the expositions are built on the basis of scientific rather than political principles. Much for Versailles was made by its curator Pierre de Nolhak, who not only transformed the exhibitions, but also began restoring the pre-revolutionary appearance of the palace.

Nowadays

Today, the Palace of Versailles retains the status of a museum and one of the main attractions of France, but at the same time it retains a number of official state functions. In the 20th century, after the Second World War, the damaged and neglected Versailles had to be restored with money collected from all over France. For certain advertising, absolutely all meetings between heads of state were held here until the 90s.

Now the Palace of Versailles is financially and legally autonomous, and the 5 million people who annually visit this French landmark bring profit to it. Also, between 8 and 10 million visit the park and gardens of Versailles.

Construction cost

One of the most interesting questions regarding the Palace of Versailles is the cost of its construction. At the same time, it is very difficult to give an unambiguous answer, although most of the financial documents have been preserved.

Initial rebuild hunting lodge funded by personal funds Louis XIV, the king at that time was a feudal lord, had personal land plots from which he received direct income. But then the construction began to be financed, including from the state budget.

Despite the unambiguously high amount of costs, during the construction of the Palace of Versailles it was turned into a “French showcase” and all materials, decor, decoration and other elements, at the request of the king, had to be produced only inside France.

A certain part of the interior items is difficult to express in any value, as they are unique works of art. But, based on the total amount of money spent, you can still derive several calculation methods:

• The simplest and least accurate is a simple conversion of the amount of silver by modern prices for this metal, it gives an amount of about 2.6 billion euros, which is clearly far from reality.
• Another method involves calculating the data on the purchasing power of the then currency and calculating the estimate of Versailles on the basis of these data, according to which the total amount spent on the palace is 37 billion. This is probably the most accurate amount, since it can be assumed that in the modern world for 37 billion euros it is possible to build a similar palace.
• The third method is more speculative, it involves comparing costs with the state budget and gives an amount of almost 260 billion euros, which, despite the wealth of the palace, still looks overpriced. With all this, it should be borne in mind that the costs were not one-time, but stretched over 50 years of construction.

Versailles park and palace complex

The administration of the palace divides the entire complex into a number of main areas: the Chateau itself, the Grand and Petit Trianons, Marie Antoinette's farm, as well as the garden and park area. All these parts of Versailles are available for inspection, and you can even walk in the park, with some exceptions, for free.

Château in French is simply a "palace", but at the same time the official name of the main building of Versailles. It makes no sense to go on an excursion to the complex and not visit the royal palace, because most often it becomes the first object that a tourist visits.

Coming through main entrance in Versailles, the visitor enters the courtyard of the Chateau and can either go directly to the palace or get into the park, and see the royal residence later.

Inside the Chateau, the main attraction is the Hall of Mirrors - the central gallery connecting the two wings, decorated with a very rich finish and a large number of mirrors. In addition to him, the royal chambers, private rooms of the king's daughters, the queen's bedroom are shown.

Some of the premises are available for inspection only as part of organized groups or guided tours.

Also in the Chateau is a museum of the history of the Palace of Versailles, several art galleries, the most famous of which is the Hall of Battles, in which the canvases tell about the main battles in the history of France. Sometimes you can see the interior of the Royal Opera, it depends on the schedule of preparations for concerts.

On the territory of the Versailles complex there are two separate palaces, which are called Trianons. The Grand Trianon is inferior to the size of the Chateau, but not every European monarch had a main palace of a similar size, since the Trianon building itself has almost three dozen rooms, has a separate courtyard and a garden with ponds.

The Great Trianon was used as a place of residence for the king and his relatives outside the strict palace etiquette, in some seclusion. Also, all the rulers who came on visits to France traditionally settled here, among the guests of the Grand Trianon were: Peter I, Elizabeth II, Gorbachev, Yeltsin, etc. And all the French rulers lived in it after the revolution, since the Chateau performed other functions and even Napoleon did not want to use it as the main residence.

Inside the Grand Trianon, visitors will find several rooms that have completely preserved the interiors of past centuries, the empress's bedroom, and several art galleries. The billiard room and the Mirror Salon also look quite interesting.

Small Trianon

But the Small Trianon is really a small two-story mansion, which was occupied by women all the time. Initially, these were the favorites of Louis XV - Madame Pompadour and, after her, Dubarry, and then the young Marie Antoinette received this building. The mansion is distinguished by some modesty even in the interiors, although the interior salons and the queen's bedroom, where visitors are now allowed in, are decorated quite richly.

The Petit Trianon functions as a museum of Marie Antoinette, a significant part of household items and interiors are original, others have been restored by restorers. Tourists are also shown the technical premises where the servants worked - during construction, they tried to isolate the attendants as much as possible, it was assumed that even a served table would be raised to the dining room by a special mechanism, but this idea was never implemented. Also in the Petit Trianon is a small personal theater of the Queen, where her performances were staged, in which Marie Antoinette herself played on stage.

Marie Antoinette, who had a lot of free time, built small village near his mansion. Of course, this is not a real village, but a small and even caricature settlement, reflecting an idealized idea of ​​\u200b\u200bpeasant life.

But the farm was fully functional, consisted of 12 residential buildings, goats, cows, pigeons, chickens and other farm animals also lived here, there were gardens and beds. The queen personally milked the cows and weeded them, although the animals were bathed daily, decorated with bows, and the “peasant women” living here were ordered to keep a pastoral look all the time.

The farm has been preserved almost unchanged, various animals still live here and, in fact, now it is a small petting zoo. In general, the place looks very nice, since many houses were built in the form in which they were depicted by artists of the 18th century in pastoral landscapes.

For a larger entourage, houses were artificially aged, for example, cracks were painted on the walls with paint.

Park of Versailles

The park part of the palace complex attracts almost as many tourists as the palace itself, especially since the entrance to the park is often (when the fountains are not working) free of charge. The territory of the park itself is very large, about 5 square kilometers, and it is divided into several conditional zones, two main ones:

• Garden - the part directly adjacent to the palace with neat bushes, paths and pools
• Park - classic dense plantings with paths, places to rest, etc.

Almost all park zone Versailles is full of fountains, pools and canals. It makes no sense to list them all, but there are a number of the most famous and notable ones: the Neptune Fountain, the Grand Canal, the Apollo Fountain.

Fountains do not work all the time. They are turned on most often on weekends, at which time the entrance to the park becomes paid.

It is very difficult to go around the entire park at one time, many do not even have time to reach the Trianons, so you can take 2 days to travel to Versailles, especially since special tickets are sold for this.

Events

Various events are regularly held in Versailles, some of them on a regular and permanent basis during the "hot" tourist season.

musical fountains

Every weekend, as well as on some other holidays and not only dates, all fountains are turned on at full capacity, a musical show is arranged. This is the best time to visit Versailles as the 18th century fountains are truly impressive.

Night show of fountains

During the tourist season (from May to September), every Saturday after the closure of Versailles for the bulk of tourists, a fountain show with music, lighting is arranged, and everything ends at 11 pm with fireworks over the Grand Canal.

Ball

Before the start of the night show, a real ball is arranged in the Hall of Mirrors. Musicians and dancers perform classical French music and demonstrate dances traditional for royal balls. Historical costumes, gallant gentlemen and beautiful ladies, of course, are an integral part of this performance.

Other events

Other events are also held at the Palace of Versailles. Firstly, these are various temporary exhibitions. Various art exhibitions of both contemporary artists and authors of the past, themed rooms, etc. are exhibited in the galleries of the palace or other buildings on the territory of the complex. Secondly, plays and concerts have been staged at the Royal Opera recently (after reconstruction). Also, master classes, performances by artists, etc. are held in Versailles, it is recommended to find out the details on the official website.

Information for tourists

Versailles on the map

Photo

What is interesting about Versailles in the vicinity of Paris. What to see and do in the palace itself and the surrounding park, all interesting places Versailles.

Even in France, with its abundance of architectural masterpieces, the Palace of Versailles is absolutely exceptional in its beauty and historical significance monument. The king spent a colossal amount on the construction of the palace, amounting to 260 billion euros in terms of current money, and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe internal halls alone reaches 67,000 square meters. meters. A visit to Versailles is a must for all tourists who are lucky enough to spend more than one day in Paris. Those who doubt this will be persuaded by the following 10 reasons to visit the favorite residence of Louis XIV, nicknamed the Sun King.

Popular tours in Versailles

Most interesting excursions are routes from local residents on Tripster. It’s more interesting to start with (see all the interesting places and outline walking routes). And then set aside a day for a trip to the palace of Louis XIV: - 4-hour tour of the halls of the palace and the park.

Palace of Versailles: 10 most interesting places

1. Role model

When, by order of the Sun King, the construction of the palace in Versailles began in 1661, he hardly expected that the completion of construction and finishing work would take place already under his successors. The palace complex was supposed to demonstrate the power and grandeur of royal power. The architects of Versailles - L. Levo and A. Le Nôtre - managed to design a building in the spirit of classicism, striking not only in size, but also in internal harmony. The aristocratic beauty of the facades was organically combined with the luxury of the interior decoration and the park, which had no equal in Europe.

Very quickly, Versailles gained a reputation as the ideal home of the monarch, and the rulers of other countries wished to build something similar.

Impressed by the residence of the French kings, Peter the Great erects his symbol of imperial greatness in Peterhof. It was not only the Peterhof Palace that had to surpass the French model, but also the park, and, admittedly, thanks to the Grand Canal, this was possible. Without the Palace of Versailles, the residence of the Savoy kings, Venaria Reale near Turin, and one of the pearls of Bavaria, the residence of Ludwig II Herenchiemsee, would not have been built. Even centuries later, Versailles continued to inspire kings and architects.

2. Excursions in Russian

Huge line of tourists in Versailles

Before visiting Versailles, it is not necessary to immerse yourself in historical monographs and download a map of the area: in Paris, it is easy to find both group and individual excursions with a transfer. Their subject matter is varied. If you want to be told in great detail the history of the construction of Versailles, or if you want, they will tell you the secrets of the relationship between kings and their favorites. There are excursions to Versailles of Louis XIV and Versailles of Marie Antoinette, to the Russian places of Versailles (yes, there are some), in the park, etc. Their cost depends on the program and duration: the most inexpensive one will cost € 40-50. But the main advantage of visiting the palace with a tour is the ability to get inside without a queue, the guide will take care of tickets in advance.

Travel agencies offering excursions to Versailles are widely represented on the Web: you can search on Google, you can on. By booking a tour in advance, you will save yourself from queues and be able to explore the palace with maximum comfort.

By the way, tickets cannot be called very expensive: a visit to one palace costs € 18, and a comprehensive tour, including the palace, the Trianons and the garden, costs € 20.

3. Transport accessibility

If in the 17th century Versailles was considered a separate settlement, but today it is actually a suburb of Paris: the palace and the capital are separated from each other by less than 20 km. Getting to Versailles on your own is very easy: just take one of the RER trains (line C), leaving every 20 minutes.

A train ticket costs only € 7, the journey takes about 40 minutes. Another train leaves from the Saint-Lazare and Montparance stations - SNCF (travel time - 35 minutes, ticket price is about € 3.5), but the station where it arrives is quite far from the palace complex. Bus number 171 also runs to Versailles: it is not only cheaper than an electric train (only € 3), but also drives up almost to the very entrance.

4. Mirror gallery in Versailles

Little has changed in the gallery since the time of Louis XIV: 357 mirrors still reflect the gilded decor, 17 huge windows still look out onto the garden, and giant crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling. The only thing missing is silver furniture, which was melted down in the 17th century, but its absence is compensated by gilded statues, luxurious vases and a magnificent painting of the vaults of the ceiling, reaching a height of 10.5 m. Since the length of the gallery is 73 m (width - 11 m) , then it is not surprising that while the courtiers walked unhurriedly from one end to the other, romances and intrigues had time to flare up between them.

Palace of Versailles on the map of Paris

Versailles is located at: Place d'Armes, Versailles, France.

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Versailles Versailles

Versailles is a city in France, a southwestern suburb of Paris. First mentioned in 1075. In 1682-1789 main residence 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), turned into several building periods (1661-68, architect L. Levo; 1670-74, architect F. d ​​" Orbe; 1678-89, architect J. Hardouin-Mansart) into a vast palace dominating the surroundings (the length of the facade is 576.2 m) with magnificent decoration of front and residential interiors and a park. The layout of Versailles is based on three roads that fan out from the palace to Paris, to the royal palaces of Saint-Cloud and Co. They also formed the basis of the plan of the city of Verona, where the nobility settled. The point of connection of these roads in the court of honor (court of honor) is marked by an equestrian statue of Louis XIV. The middle road on the other side of the palace is continued by a spectacular main avenue with the pools 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 trimmed trees (1660s, architect A. Le Nôtre), with elegant pavilions, fountains, decorative sculpture (F. Girardon, A. Kuazevoks and others). The facade of the palace, facing Paris, is formed by: Marble Court (1662, architect Levo), 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 Court of Ministers, framed by the wings of the buildings of ministries and iron grating (1671-81, architect Hardouin-Mansart). The facade of the palace from the side of the park consists of the central (since 1668, architect Levo, completed by the architect Hardouin-Mansart), southern (1682) and northern (1685, both architect Hardouin-Mansart) buildings; Opera theatre at the end of the northern building (1748-70, architect J. A. Gabriel, sculptor O. Pazhu). The decoration of the interiors of the palace was carried out in the 17th-18th centuries. (architect Hardouin-Mansart, Levo, painting by Ch. Lebrun, etc.). To the north of the Grand Canal - the palaces of the Great Trianon (1670-72, architect d "Orbe according to the plans of the architect Levo, 1687, architect Hardouin-Mansart) and the Petit Trianon (1762-64, architect Gabriel), to which is adjacent landscape park(1774, A. Richard) with the Belvedere (1777), the Temple of Love (1778), the Maly Theater (1780, all - architect R. Mick) and the "village" of Marie Antoinette (1783-86, architect Mick, artist J. Robert) . In 1830 the ensembles of Versailles were turned into National Museum Versailles and Trianons.

Literature: M. V. Alpatov, Architecture of the Ensemble of Versailles, M., 1940; Benoist, L., Histoire de Versaille, P., 1973.

(Source: "Popular Art Encyclopedia." Edited by Polevoy V.M.; M.: Publishing House " Soviet Encyclopedia", 1986.)

(versailles), a palace and park ensemble of the 17th–18th centuries. near Paris. In 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 decided to create his country residence in Versailles; at the same time, he wished to preserve his father's castle by adding new buildings to it (architects L. Levo, 1661-68; F. d'Orbe, 1670-74; J. Hardouin-Mansart, 1678-89). The central part of the palace has a U-shape. In the depths, behind the two front courtyards, you can see the facade of the old castle. To the left and to the right, like the wings of a giant bird, the side hulls spread out. Facades are designed in style classicism; their composition and decor characterized 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, completing the walls of the façade. In subsequent centuries, the palace was partially rebuilt. Of the interiors of the times of Louis XIV, the halls of War and Peace and the famous Mirror Gallery (designed by Ch. Lebrun) have been preserved. Tall mirrors on one wall match the windows on the opposite. This visually expands the space of the hall. The interior decoration used marble cladding, gilding, luxurious crystal chandeliers and carved furniture; walls and ceiling lamps decorated with picturesque compositions. The decoration is designed in the so-called. "big style" combining elements baroque and classicism. A part of the interiors of the times of Louis XV, created in the style 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 bosquets (shrubs trimmed in the form of even 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. She goes straight through central part Palace, where the chambers of Louis XIV were located. On the one hand, it continues the road to Paris, on the other - the main alley of the park. On the central axis is the fountain "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 park of Versailles also includes the Grand Trianon ensembles (1678-88; architects J. Hardouin-Mansart, R. De Cotte) and the Petit Trianon (1762-64; architect J. A. Gabriel). The latter was built under Louis XVI for Queen Marie Antoinette in the style of early classicism 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. Mick). The ensemble of Versailles, the brilliant holidays that took place there, the style of the court life of the French kings had a huge impact on European culture and architecture of the 17th-18th centuries.

(Source: "Art. Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia." Under the editorship of Prof. A.P. Gorkin; M.: Rosmen; 2007.)

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. Engineering. The largest palace and park ensemble in the style of French classicism of the 17th and 18th centuries … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Versailles, a city in France, southwest. suburb of Paris, adm. c. dep. Yvelines. Grew up near a hunting castle founded Louis XIV in 1661, but the name is already mentioned in 1074: apud Versalias near Versailles, modern. Versailles. Name… … Geographic Encyclopedia

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- (Versailles), a city in France, a suburb of Paris. About 100 thousand inhabitants. In 1682 1789 the residence of the French kings. Tourism. Engineering. The largest palace and park ensemble in the style of French classicism of the 17th and 18th centuries: a vast palace (length ... ... Modern Encyclopedia