Versailles short description. Museum of French History. Components of the palace and park area

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Is it possible to find another place as aesthetically harmonious as the Palace of Versailles?! Its external design, the elegance of the interior and the park area are made in the same style, the whole complex deserves to be walked around by representatives of the aristocracy. Every tourist will certainly feel the spirit of the reign of kings, as it is easy to try on the role of a powerful autocrat in whose power the whole country is in the palace and park territory. Not a single photo can convey true grace, since every meter of this ensemble is thought out to the smallest detail.

Briefly about the Palace of Versailles

Probably, there are no people who do not know where the unique structure is located. famous palace- the pride of France and the most recognizable royal residence in the world. It is located near Paris and previously was a separate building with a park area. With the growing popularity of this place, numerous houses appeared among the aristocracy around Versailles, in which builders, servants, retinue and other people who were admitted to the court lived.

The idea of ​​creating a palace ensemble belonged to Louis XIV, known as the "Sun King". He himself studied all the plans and pictures with sketches, made adjustments to them. The ruler identified the Palace of Versailles with a symbol of power, the most powerful and indestructible. Only the king could personify complete abundance, so luxury and wealth are felt in all the details of the palace. Its main facade stretches for 640 meters, and the park occupies more than one hundred hectares.

Classicism was chosen as the main style, which was at the peak of popularity in the 17th century. Several of the best architects were involved in the creation of this massive project, which went through several stages of construction. Only the most famous masters worked on the decoration inside the palace, creating engravings, sculptures and other art treasures that still adorn it.

The history of the construction of the famous palace complex

It is difficult to say when the Palace of Versailles was built, since work on the ensemble was carried out even after the king settled in a new residence and arranged balls in exquisite halls. Officially, the building received the status of a royal residence in 1682, but it is better to mention the history of creation. cultural monument in order.

Initially, since 1623, there was a small feudal castle on the site of Versailles, where royal people with a small retinue were located during hunting in local forests. In 1632, the possessions of the French kings in this part of the country expanded through the purchase of a nearby estate. Small construction work was carried out near the village called Versailles, but the global restructuring began only with the coming to power of Louis XIV.

The Sun King became the ruler of France early and forever remembered the rebellion of the Fronde, which was partly the reason that the residence in Paris evoked unpleasant memories in Louis. Moreover, being young, the ruler admired the luxury of the castle of the Minister of Finance Nicolas Fouquet and wished to create the Palace of Versailles, surpassing the beauty of all existing castles, so that no one in the country would doubt the wealth of the king. Louis Levo was invited to the role of architect, who had already proven himself in the implementation of other large-scale projects.

Throughout the life of Louis XIV, work was carried out on the palace ensemble. In addition to Louis Leveaux, Charles Lebrun and Jules Hardouin-Mansart worked on the architecture, the park and gardens belong to the hand of André Le Nôtre. The main asset of the Palace of Versailles of this stage of construction is the Mirror Gallery, in which paintings alternate with hundreds of mirrors. Also during the reign of the Sun King, the Battle Gallery and the Grand Trianon appeared, and a chapel was erected.

In 1715, power passed to the five-year-old Louis XV, who, together with his retinue, returned to Paris and for a long time did not rebuild Versailles. During the years of his reign, the Salon of Hercules was completed, and the Small Apartments of the King were created. A great achievement at this stage of construction is the construction of the Petit Trianon and the completion of the Opera Hall.

Components of the palace and park area

It is simply impossible to describe the sights of the Palace of Versailles, since everything in the ensemble is so harmonious and elegant that any detail is a real work of art. During the tour, be sure to visit the following places:

• Grand Trianon (used for outdoor recreation);
  
• Petit Trianon (was the home of the mistress of Louis XV);
  


• Farm of Marie Antoinette;
  
• King's quarters;
  
• mirror gallery.
  

At the front entrance to the territory palace complex gates of gold, decorated with a coat of arms and a crown, were installed. The area in front of the palace is decorated with sculptures, which are also found inside the main building and throughout the park. You can even find a statue of Caesar, whose cult was valued by the French masters.

Separately, it is worth mentioning the park of Versailles, as it is an exceptional place, charming with its diversity, beauty and integrity. There are amazingly decorated fountains with musical arrangements, botanical gardens, greenhouses, swimming pools. Flowers are collected in unusual flower beds, and shrubs are annually given certain shapes.

Significant episodes in the history of Versailles

Although the Palace of Versailles was used as a residence for a short time, it played a significant role for the country - in the 19th century it received the status of a national museum, where numerous engravings, portraits, and paintings were transferred.

With the defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, the mansions became the property of the Germans. They chose the Hall of Mirrors to proclaim themselves the German Empire in 1871. The French were offended by the chosen location, so after the defeat of Germany in the First World War, when Versailles was returned to France, the peace treaty was signed in the same premises.

Since the 50s of the 20th century, a tradition has appeared in France, according to which all visiting heads of state were to meet with the president in Versailles. Only in the 90s it was decided to move away from this tradition due to the great popularity of the Palace of Versailles among tourists.

The monarchs of other countries who visited the French landmark marveled at the elegance and luxury of the royal residence and often, upon returning home, tried to recreate no less exquisite palaces with similar architecture. Of course, you will not find a similar creation anywhere in the world, but many castles in Italy, Austria and Germany have some similarities. Even the palaces in Peterhof and Gatchina are made in the same classicism, borrowing a number of ideas.

It is known from historical descriptions that it was very difficult to keep secrets in the palace, since Louis XIV preferred to know what was in the mind of his courtiers in order to avoid conspiracies and uprisings. The castle has many hidden doors and secret passages, which were known only to the king and the architects who designed them.

During the reign of the Sun King, almost all decisions were made in the Palace of Versailles, because statesmen and close associates of the autocrat were here around the clock. To become part of the retinue, one had to live in Versailles regularly and attend daily ceremonies, during which Louis often distributed privileges.

The more closely you peer into the history of France, the more you are surprised at the desire of kings to surpass their predecessors in luxury. Everyone tried to make their residence bigger and richer, spending simply fantastic money on landscaping, and Versailles in France is a vivid example of regal splendor that takes your breath away.

Versailles - a respectable suburb of Paris

Today, the Museum of Versailles is known throughout the world thanks to Louis XIII of the Bourbon dynasty, who wished to have his own secluded nest. In 1623, Jean de Soisy sold his lands to the king, on which a small hunting lodge from five rooms.

Apparently, Louis XIII really lacked peace and quiet, since he chose such an unremarkable place. The French philosopher Saint-Simon said of him: "Never before have I seen a more desolate and barren place - without water, land and forest". Indeed, only swamps and sand stretched around, and the population was so small that in the chronicles of the 11th century the settlement is mentioned as a modest, unremarkable village, hidden behind a hill, whose name is explained by the name of the first feudal lord-owner - Hugh de Versailles.

This locality arose only because it lay on the path from Normandy to, and the travelers had to stop somewhere to rest. Louis XIII liked to spend time here with friends, and later, where the mill once stood, and later the Marble Court appeared, a modest hunting lodge arose. Then it was difficult to predict that one day it would grow and become known as the Palace of Versailles.

Located at a distance of 17.1 km southwest of the capitals of France, now Versailles is considered an important administrative center department of Yvelines with a population of over 85,900 inhabitants. Now it is surrounded by lush forests, and a successful layout, laid down in the 18th century, became a model for imitation during the development of Washington.

The first reforms: from the hut to the palace

Since monarchs have always been distinguished by inconstancy, a thirst for change, and the desire for luxury is in their blood, already in 1632 the lands of Gondi were added to the territory of the king, which made it possible to significantly expand the hunting estate. 4 towers, 2 additional wings and a wall covering the entrance join the building. As defensive measures, a wall grows around and a moat appears, and now it is not just a holiday home, but a real fortified castle, ready to soon turn into a royal residence.

Louis XIV, the son of the previous monarch, turned out to be more ambitious, and in 1661 he began to reconstruct his heritage, and then finally moved into it. His desire to prove himself is understandable, because for too long the reins of government were in the tenacious hands of his mother, Anna of Austria, and the minister, Cardinal Mazarin.

Another reason why the Sun King decides to make the Palace of Versailles the center of government of the country is the Fronde of 1648-1653, after which the monarch did not feel too comfortable in Paris.

Inspiration to build beauty royal palace served as the luxurious residence of the Minister of Finance Fouquet - Vaux-le-Vicomte. In 1661, the minister was arrested, his property was confiscated, and the trio of architects who worked on his chateau were hired by Louis XIV with the condition that his mansions become a hundred times better.

Architect of the Palace of Versailles

This project turned out to be a swan song for them, because until the end of their days they were engaged in building and improving the Palace of Versailles.

Construction costs of the Palace of Versailles

Such a colossal plan required great human and financial sacrifices. All free hands were involved in the work, including peasants, soldiers and sailors from all adjacent territories. In order to increase the number of builders, any other construction was prohibited during the construction of the chateau, and this provided more than 30,000 people on the site.

As for money, the amount spent on the castle is shocking - almost 26 million livres, which corresponded to 10,521,867 kg of silver, and in terms of modern money, this is about 259.56 billion euros. At the same time, for the king, all materials were sold at exceptionally low prices, and if the performers went beyond the boundaries of the estimate, they were not paid the difference.

Construction of the Palace of Versailles

At times, the construction subsided, but not for long, and Louis again directed his gaze to the future palace, wanting to complete it as soon as possible. grandiose project. Until 1682, he constantly moved between and Versailles, until he decides to completely move to a new residence with the whole court.

This decision is dictated by several reasons. Firstly, the Sun King understood that the only way to prevent a conspiracy in the bud was to keep the aristocratic elite in front of his eyes. Secondly, there was constant unrest in Paris, and it became dangerous to stay there. Thirdly, luxurious mansions demonstrated France to the whole world as the main player in the military, political and cultural field.

The stages of construction are marked by periods of wars. The first phase of perestroika work lasted from 1664 to 1668, when the war broke out with Spain. By this time, the palace was able to receive up to 600 people.

In 1669, after the battle for the Netherlands, the second three-year period of improvement began: the central part, the former hunting lodge, was being changed, and the surrounding territories were being remade. The southern wing was converted into the chambers of Queen Maria Theresa, and is almost identical to the northern wing of the Sun King, and the western zone became a terrace. An octagonal soaking tub and children's rooms on the upper floors were also provided.

In 1678, the Dutch War ends, and the third part of work on the palace begins until 1684. At this time, the western terrace turns into the Mirror Gallery, connecting the separate chambers of the crowned couple. It is distinguished by true chic and richness of design even today, although a large batch of decor was sold as early as 1689.

New outbuildings for princes and nobles appear, and a greenhouse is located in two huge halls. This stage in construction is also marked by the fact that the surrounding land is gradually being transformed into the beautiful gardens of Versailles.

1682 becomes the year of the official move of the royal court to a new residence, and this led to an increase in the population of the suburbs, an improvement in its well-being.

Until 1699, construction stalled as previous military campaigns and phases of work had state budget solid hole. To support the Nine Years' War, which lasted until 1710, some elements of luxurious decor had to be sold, but after its completion, Louis XIV proceeds to the fourth stage of arrangement.

This time was marked by the construction of another chapel, which became the fifth on the territory of Versailles. Differing from the rest in its rectangular shape and height, it changes the facade of the main building, causing criticism of the surroundings. However, later it turned into the most interesting element of the architectural complex.

Construction of the Palace of Versailles under the leadership of Louis XV

By the time the five-year-old Louis XV (nicknamed the Beloved) ascended the throne after the death of the Sun King in 1715, the Palace of Versailles was already impressive with its majestic architecture, vast areas and royal interior decoration. Peter I, who visited France in 1717, does not hide his delight from what he saw and, looking at the mansion with the park adjacent to it, lights up with the idea of ​​building something similar in St. Petersburg.

Under the Beloved, significant changes also take place with the architectural complex, although not as colossal as under his parent.

The first thing he did was complete the salon of Hercules. Under him, the Chambers of Madame, the Dauphin and his wife appeared, as well as the Small Chambers of the King on the lower, second and third levels.

His notable achievements were the completion of the Petit Trianon, the Opera Hall and the dismantling of the Staircase of the Ambassadors leading to the Great Royal Apartments in order to equip the princesses' rooms in its place.

As for the park, unlike Louis XIV, his son paid little attention to the park, and the only significant element of it was the Neptune pool, built in 1738-1741. Radical changes in park area occurred already under Louis XVI, because for a hundred years the trees had time to dry out, and the need to rejuvenate green spaces pulled new grandiose design ideas.

The culmination of innovative ideas in last years his reign was the refurbishment of the premises on the advice of the leading architect Gabriel - from the side of the city, the facade had to take classic look. Work on this project continued until the twentieth century.

Impact of the Revolution and the Time of the First Empire

In early October 1789, under the leadership of Lafayette, the National Guard and a crowd of people broke into the Palace of Versailles demanding that the royal family and the National Assembly be expelled to Paris. In order not to inflame passions even more, the top of the country submits, moving to the Louvre and, and Versailles loses the status of an administrative and managerial center and is sealed.

From this moment begins the decline of the castle. While Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette are in custody awaiting execution, according to a plan to get rid of luxury and use the building for the needs of the new government, the usual looting is going on.

Many items of interior decoration were simply taken away until control was established. After that, some of the items were sent to auction, others to exhibitions.

Pondering over the fate of the palace, they offered to rent or sell it, but in the end they decided to leave it under the control of the republic, and until they figured out a better purpose for it, art objects were brought here, which later replenished the storerooms of various museums.

And yet, individual decorative elements continued to disappear from the walls of the once luxurious mansion - they were sold to fill the state treasury.

The building of the former royal mansion experienced a period of decadence until it attracted the attention of Napoleon I, who returned the status of his residence, but now the emperor.

In 1806, he ordered the architect Jacques Gonduin to do restoration work, but both of his projects were rejected by Bonaparte, and only in 1808 were gold and mirror panels recreated, and furniture was brought from Fontebleau and the Louvre.

Versailles receives museum status

When in 1814 - 1815. and the Bourbon dynasty comes to power again, the last one sits on the throne french king- Louis Philippe I, who had several nicknames: "king-citizen", "king-bourgeois", and finally "king-pear". He turns the Palace of Versailles, built on the orders of Louis XIV, into a museum, which exhibits historical values, paintings with battle scenes, portraits and busts.

But the insidious time has prepared a few more shocks, which, from the height of the passed years in the canvas of history, look like a spectacular addition. So, when France turned out to be the losing side in the Franco-Prussian war, the German army was headquartered in the palace (1870-1871), and in order to further humiliate the French, on January 18 in the Mirror Gallery announced the German Empire, and its Kaiser - Wilhelm I. But already in February, a peace treaty was signed in the same gallery, and a month later the French government returned to Versailles to settle here until 1879.

However, the offense was not forgotten, and in order to return the “debt”, at the end of the First World War, the Mirror Gallery is not chosen in vain to conclude a preliminary truce and the Vienna Treaty with defeated Germany. The Palace of Versailles in France served as a place of reconciliation between the Franco-German sides after the Second World War.

Since 1952, its global restoration begins, for which the government allocated 5 million francs, and also announced through all means of communication about the search for patrons and called for voluntary donations from citizens. In 1979 the architectural complex became part of world heritage UNESCO, and in 2007 the post of President of the Palace of Versailles was introduced, which was taken by the Minister of Culture Jean-Jacques Aiagon.

Exterior architecture and interior design of the mansion

Since Versailles received the status of a museum, millions of tourists have flocked to it every year to see with their own eyes the grandeur, brilliance and abundance of the palace, where conspiracies and intrigues were the norm, from generation to generation cunning plans were perfected, behind-the-scenes gossip were woven and the secrets of Versailles were created. .

Surrounded by walls that remember the first cry of the kings born here: Philip V, Louis XV, XVI and XVIII, Charles X, you expect that one of the crowned sons of France will appear from around the corner, surrounded by courtiers to the rustle of silk and knock heels.

So huge area once belonged to the monarchs, and today the halls of Versailles receive curious visitors. To navigate the large areas (67 thousand square meters), you should know that the complex has several zones: the Chateau, the Small Trianon with the Big Trianon, the territory of the Marie Antoinette farm and the garden and park area. In total, 372 statues, 67 stairs and 25 thousand windows were installed in the palace premises.

The main building and the main attraction of the entire complex, where all tourists strive to get is the Chateau. Passing the main entrance, you will find yourself in its courtyard, from where you can go to the park or to the palace itself, where the Hall of Mirrors is its heart. In fact, this is a passage 73 m long and 11 m wide, uniting both wings of the castle.

The highlight of the Mirror Room is 357 mirrors located opposite 17 windows. The reflection creates the illusion that the garden surrounds the gallery from two sides, and in the evening they once sparkled with the lights of thousands of candles. It was decorated with figured floor lamps, candelabra, bronze-cut silver vases, crystal chandeliers and live orange trees, while the walls and ceiling were painted with scenes from mythology and history, in which the great dramas of court life were played out. Moreover, Louis XIV himself was certainly portrayed as an ancient hero.

Even the furniture here was made of pure silver (as Lebrun intended), which speaks of the original scale, but in 1689, unfortunately, it had to be melted down into coins to support the army.

Also here are the royal chambers, in which central part occupies a bed located at the intersection of three highways connecting the Palace of Versailles with Paris.

The queen's bedroom is also located in the Chateau, and an impressive canopy bed and other interior items are decorated with gilding. Princess apartments are also nearby.

Halls of the Palace of Versailles

There are several interesting halls in the mansion, for example, the Hall of War, where you can see paintings that tell about past epic battles.

Not far from the entrance is the Royal Chapel. Its floor is decorated with a family coat of arms, lined with colored marble, and around the altar there are sculptures of ancient Greek gods made of bronze. The upper tier of the chapel was occupied by the crowned family, while the lower tier was occupied by the courtiers. After the service, the king retired to one of the chambers open today to curious visitors.

The Apollo Hall (or the Throne Hall) - ambassadors were received here, holidays or theatrical performances with musical accompaniment were held in the evenings, in which the monarch often took part.

Billiards were usually played in Diana's Hall. The Salon of Abundance served as a pantry, an exhibition of the royal collection of coins and paintings by Karachi, Veronese and Titian, and in the Hall of Venus, the main exhibit is a statue of Louis XIV.

The Bull's Eye salon is also of interest. Such a dissonant name was given to a room with an opening that looks like a bull's organ of vision. It served as a window through which the courtiers could observe the monarch in his apartments.

The greenhouse, designed by Hardouin-Mansard, has a U-shape, where more than 200 gardeners worked, caring for fruit-bearing exotics, among which there were 3,000 pomegranate, tangerine and orange trees.

At certain times, the Royal Opera House is available for viewing the interior, but this depends on the concert schedule. There are other places where you can only go with a guide.

Palace of Versailles inside

Grand and Petit Trianon at Versailles

The Versailles Museum has two separate palaces. IN Grand Trianon more than 30 rooms, a private patio and a park with ponds. It served as a chamber for the king and his family, where they could feel more frivolous, without adhering to strict etiquette.

At one time there were guests: Peter I, Elizabeth II, Gorbachev, Yeltsin and other political figures.

Petit Trianon was a kind of women's territory. The cozy two-story mansion was originally inhabited by the favorite of the Beloved King - Madame Pompadour. This is the only woman who was allowed to spend her last days at Versailles. Louis really was attached to her, and when she died of a lung disease, he saw her off, standing on one of the balconies of the palace in the pouring rain.

His parting words to her were: “Well, you chose terrible weather to take a last walk, madam.”.

Later, the Petit Trianon was occupied by Dubarry and, finally, by Marie Antoinette. With the exception of the bedroom, this part of the mansion has a more modest decoration, but it had its own theater, where performances were staged with the participation of the queen. Now it has been turned into a Marie Antoinette museum with original personal and interior items, and only a few have been recreated by decorators.

Those in power have their own quirks, and Marie Antoinette had a small village right on the territory of Versailles near her palace. Having a lot of free time, she amused herself by milking cows, weeding beds, feeding birds or decorating animals with colored ribbons.

Stalls for goats and cows, a dovecote and perches for chickens were built here, and 12 houses were also inhabited, and the "peasants" were strictly ordered to observe a pastoral appearance.

This village has been recreated with animals and is open to the public.

Gardens and park of Versailles

The park part surprises with a perfectly flat surface. Even when construction began, the architects leveled the site so carefully that not a single hillock remained on it. The gardens of Versailles cover about 5 sq. km, replete with paths, green bushes and trees, fountains and lakes, impeccable lines of green lawns.

Sitting on the balcony of his chambers, the king liked to watch theatrical performances that took place in the Court of Marble, and it was here that Molière first staged The Misanthrope. And above the windows of the chambers of Louis, the clock counted down, but was stopped at the time of his death.

The monarch liked to walk under the arches and among the marble columns, or arrange dinner meals among them. The theme of ancient gods was close to him, and the gardens of Versailles are generously decorated with their figures.

Directly in front of the Mirror Gallery, two oblong pools stretched parallel to each other, behind which the Great Staircase leads down, and at its foot, surrounded by four stone vases, there is a reservoir with a fountain of Latona, decorated with many gilded figures.

Further, an alley with mighty trees along it leads to a spacious green meadow, behind which big pool Apollo drives a chariot drawn by the four water horses of Neptune himself - the hippocampus. The Apollo Fountain was formed under the guidance of the sculptor Tyubi, who took as a basis the sketches of Ch. Lebrun.

To the north of the palace stands the parterre, decorated with the figures of Crouching Venus and the Grinder. From them, a staircase leads to the pools "Sirens" and "Crown", which have a rounded shape, as well as to the fountain "Pyramid", in which gilded dolphins with newts splash.

To see how the “Dragon” fountain throws a stream of water 47 meters high, you need to go along the famous “Water Alley”, created by J. Hardouin-Mansart, and which has a different name - “Water Theater”. It is notable for the fact that it is framed by 14 small round reservoirs, creating a single stepped ensemble with bronze images of children holding a bowl filled with flowers and fruits.

In addition to many lakes and pools with fountains, the gardens of Versailles are replete with terraces, and the farther from the palace, the level gradually decreases. In addition, it is pleasant to walk along the alleys, imagining how Marie Antoinette once walked along the same path, admiring the sculptures and the play of water jets released by mythological animals.

A park filled with grottoes, pavilions, a system of water channels, vegetation and viewing platforms looks so thoughtful that it has been called "Little Venice".

Events of Versailles

It is worth visiting the grandiose "nest" of monarchs once, and this event will become the main event in your life for a long time. The entertainment that is held here will allow you to plunge into the colorful past of France, visit a real ball at the court, where under classical music gallant ladies and gentlemen in magnificent costumes move in the dance in the same way as they did several centuries ago.

After that, every Saturday (May-September), when most tourists leave the Palace of Versailles, a night show begins for ticket holders with illuminated fountains and music, and the final scene at 23:00 is a grandiose fireworks blooming over the Grand Canal.

Musical fountains are a wonderful sight, caressing the eyes and ears, and they are turned on on weekends and holidays.

In addition to amazing shows, permanent and temporary exhibitions of paintings by contemporary painters and artists of past eras are worthy of attention, themed rooms are open, and after the reconstruction, the Royal Opera House was opened, where plays are staged and concert performances are held.

Service Offered

To move around the vast territory of the complex faster, you can rent a bicycle for 6 euros, a segway, an electric car (if you have international rights) or for 7.5 euros you can ride from Chateau to Trianon on a tourist electric train.

Visitors are offered to rent a boat and take a pleasant walk along Little Venice and the Grand Canal.

If you are tired and hungry, you can have a snack in a cafe with an open veranda. Several outlets offer takeaway juices, potatoes and other snacks, and if you want to sit in comfort, check out the restaurants near scenic spots garden.

To visit Versailles itself is a dream that comes true once in a lifetime, and far from everyone, and therefore, in memory of the trip, I want to keep a souvenir. In the museum shop you can buy candles, books, albums, tapestries for pillows with original embroidery, bags, medals and coins, dishes, figurines, even a jar of raspberry jam in a gift box and other items.

Tickets to Versailles

Tickets to Versailles for visiting the farm, Chateau and Trianons - 18 euros, with working fountains - 25 euros.

Buy tickets to Versailles at low prices

A ticket for two days with a full visit to all attractions - 25 euros, with working fountains - 30 euros.

• Chateau - 15 euros.
• Farm and Trianons - 10 euros.
• A park without working fountains - admission is free, with fountains - 9 euros.
• Ball and evening show with fountains - 39 euros.
• Evening show only - 24 euros.
• Only the ball - 17 euros.
• Free admission for children under 5 years old.

Benefits are used by students, persons with handicapped and children aged 6-17.

Purchasing the FORFAIT LOISIRS card will allow you to travel on public transport for free and will serve as an entrance ticket to the Palace of Versailles and its park area.

Note: you can make video and photography only after an additional payment.

Opening hours of Versailles

• The garden and park area is open 8:00-18:00 (during busy tourist season 7:00-20:30)
• Farm and Trianons - 12:00-17:30 (18:30)
• Chateau - 9:00-17:30 (18:30)
• Closed on Mondays, May 1st, January 1st and December 25th

Panorama of Versailles

From Paris to Versailles on my own

When choosing a day to visit the palace, one must take into account that it is especially crowded here on weekends. Tuesday is also a high attendance, because in most museums it is a day off, and people come here. Also, in order to avoid long queues, it is better to take the tour early in the morning or at 15:30-16:00.

Palace of Versailles (Photo)

Photo gallery of Versailles

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Versailles of Louis XIII

How could Louis XIII, who built a modest hunting lodge in Versailles, know that his son and successor, the great Sun King, would turn this place so dear to him into a symbol of absolute monarchy, into a miracle of architecture, the luxury and splendor of which no palace in the world can surpass?

Louis XIII built a hunting lodge near the village of Versailles, pursuing completely different goals. Louis XIII was not even six years old when, on August 24, 1607, being only a dauphin, he arrived for the first time in Versailles with his father Henry IV for falconry. Hunting trips with his father to Versailles were not erased from the memory of the Dauphin; when he becomes king, he will prefer the lands of Versailles and Saint-Germain to all other hunting grounds.

At that time, the village of Versailles included about 500 people, a modest church was dedicated to Saint Julien, a windmill towered on a hill, and tired hunters, including Henry IV, stopped for the night at four inns. The domain of Versailles was ruled by Henri de Gondi, Bishop of Paris, whose nephew later, on coming of age, ceded the land to another of his uncles, Jean-Francois de Gondi, Archbishop of Paris and the last master of Versailles from the Gondi family.

The village was surrounded by the magnificent forests of Ile-de-France, full of game, endless fields and swamps - perfect place for hunting at any time of the year. Located 17 kilometers from Paris, it was located quite close to Saint-Germain, one of the most beloved residences of Louis XIII. When the hunt dragged on until late and it was not possible to return to Paris, the king rode to Saint-Germain or stopped at one of the inns of Versailles or in a dilapidated old castle belonging to the Gondi family, where he slept without undressing on an armful of straw. Often he spent the night at the windmill.

Soon this state of affairs bothered the king, and he bought 40 hectares of land from 16 different owners, in the winter of 1623-1624. deciding that the time had come to build a small hunting lodge in Versailles. An unknown architect erected a U-shaped building on a hill, 24 meters long and 6 meters wide, made of pink brick, white stone and blue tiles. Louis XIII constantly came to Versailles to oversee the progress of the work.

By summer, the house became inhabited, and the king lived there from June 28 to July 5. On August 2, he arrived at Versailles from Saint-Germain at 8:30 am to oversee the delivery of furniture and kitchen utensils, bought especially for him by M. de Blainville, the first nobleman of the chamber.

The king occupied 4 rooms in the house; Ludovic's apartment consisted of a bedroom, an office, a dressing room and a reception room. Later, these rooms will be occupied by Louis XIV, who wants to live in his father's apartments.

The furnishings of the bedroom were rather modest. There was only the bare necessities: a bed, two chairs, six benches, a table. In the evening, candles were lit in silver and crystal candlesticks. Five tapestries decorated the walls; the curtains of the bed, the carpet, the curtains and the upholstery of the furniture were made of green damask. In the office, eight tapestries reproduced the story of Mark Antony. A little later, the gallery leading to the king's bedroom will be decorated with a large painting depicting the capture of La Rochelle.

The king tried to come to Versailles as often as possible. The retinue that accompanied him was always extremely small. Of the courtiers, Louis occasionally invited only Claude de Rouvroy, the future duc de Saint-Simon, the duc de Montbazon, M. Soissons and the Duke de Mortemart. The last two usually slept on the first floor, in the room of the captain of the guards.

I must say that the courtiers considered it a great honor to be invited by the king to hunt in Versailles, but such trips were associated with great inconvenience for them. Louis XIII was a tireless and fearless hunter; for seventeen hours in a row, in any weather, he could gallop through the fields and forests, which was extremely tiring for his companions. Moreover, it is often the difficulties caused by bad weather conditions, could force him to go hunting, and no amount of persuasion could force the king to change his mind. In addition, in the hunting lodge in Versailles, amenities were minimal and could not satisfy the exacting nobles, who were faced with the need to share them with the king, indifferent to comfort.

Neither the queen mother nor the reigning queen were provided with rooms. However, several times they still came for one day to Versailles, never once spending the night there.

The usual day of the king in Versailles is described by his doctor Hérouard: “On October 12, 1624, I woke up at 6 o’clock in the morning, had breakfast at 7 o’clock and went hunting for deer. At 10 o'clock he returned, soaked through, changed his clothes and changed his shoes. At 11 o'clock I had lunch, mounted a horse and again chased the deer, reaching Porchefontaine. Returned to Versailles at 6 pm.

Versailles became for the king not only a place where one could find shelter after the hunt. The king hid in a hunting lodge when life in the Louvre became completely unbearable for him. Under the pretext of hunting, he tried to go there as often as possible in order to take a break from the court and hide his emotions from outside witnesses.

Meanwhile, in 1631, Louis XIII decided to expand his holdings in Versailles and enlarge the house. On April 8, 1632, he bought from Jean-Francois de Gondi for 70,000 livres the entire seigneury of Versailles, along with the ruins of the old castle of Gondi, which he wanted to completely demolish in order to expand the park.

August 15, 1634 construction was completed. The main building, in which the king's apartments were located, had five windows on the first and second floors overlooking the courtyard; there were also five windows in two parallel wings, which now limit the Marble Court. The four outer corners of the castle were decorated with four identical pavilions. From the side of the courtyard, a portico with seven arches, covered with bars, connected the two wings. The house was surrounded by a moat without water; the gardens were enlarged by Jacques de Ménère to include an orchard and a ballroom. In 1639 the gardens were redesigned by Claude Mollet and Hilaire Masson.

Versailles was for Louis XIII not only a hunting lodge, but also a place where no one could come without his permission. In April 1637, the king was tormented by the strongest emotional experiences. The tender and sincere love that connected him with Mademoiselle de Lafayette was doomed, and he understood this very well, but, exhausted by constant persecution from the court and remorse, he decided on an act unexpected for him. Madame de Motteville writes in her Memoirs: “This great king, so wise and so constant in his courage, nevertheless experienced moments of weakness during which he hurried her<Луизу де Лафайет>that she agree to his proposal to take her to Versailles, where she would live under his protection. This proposal, so contrary to his usual feelings, forced her to leave the court. Mademoiselle de Lafayette, deeply in love with the king, was afraid that she would not be able to resist her feelings and would destroy her lover's soul by agreeing to his proposal to move to Versailles. Fearing that she would give up if the king kept asking her to do so, nineteen-year-old Louise de Lafayette retired to a convent. To hide his grief, Louis XIII went to Versailles, which never became a haven of love. In 1643, feeling the approach of death, Louis XIII said: “If the Lord restores my health, immediately after my Dauphin can mount a horse and reaches the age of majority, he will take my place, and I will retire to Versailles, and I will think only for the salvation of the soul.

After the death of the king, which occurred on May 14, 1643, Versailles will remain without a master for eighteen years. Louis XIV will order to keep his father's hunting lodge intact, making it the heart of the new ensemble.

Builders of a great masterpiece

Four people assisted the king in the construction of Versailles: Colbert, Levo, Lenotre and Lebrun. Without them, the grandiose project would never have come to fruition; however, despite the numerous and undoubted merits of all four, Louis was still the main inspirer and driving force of the project. He knew exactly what he wanted. Thanks to Mazarin, who surrounded him with beautiful things from childhood, the king developed a good taste. From year to year he became more and more refined, and this left its mark on all his affairs.

After his death, Mazarin left all his possessions to the king: paintings, books, houses, eighteen huge diamonds, known as les Mazarins, and money (and, he might add, nieces). All this was nothing compared to another priceless treasure - Colbert. He was the most remarkable minister in the history of France. He was born in 1619 to a wool merchant in Reims. His emblem was a modest grass snake, in contrast to the Fouquet squirrel, striving to climb higher and higher. Unlike Fouquet, a merry fellow and a rake, Colbert was restrained and strict. He frowned more often than smiled, and never tried to please. But everyone always knew what to expect from him. When someone, in the hope of avoiding any taxation, went straight to the king, bypassing Colbert, then at the end of the courteous reception he could hear from Louis: “Monsieur, you have to pay!” Therefore, most petitioners preferred to communicate with the gloomy-looking Colbert. Still, being at a fairly young age, he realized that the economy is a true, although not very fast track to power; and began his career by putting in order the personal affairs of Mazarin, which were terribly neglected; then, while still in the service of the cardinal, he took up public finances. When the king was a child, Colbert taught him how to keep accounts; Louis became the first king of France who knew how to do this on his own. Colbert hated Versailles, but only he was able to get the money necessary for its construction. Money immediately left, like water in the sand. Having learned that the king was going to settle in Versailles, the financier resigned himself to the inevitable and began to think about how to use this costly structure wisely and for the benefit of the country.

Colbert was an amazing person; he was distinguished by deep knowledge in the field of literature, science and art, although he himself probably considered these areas of human knowledge not the most important in life, something like an application to trade. Contributing to the development of science in France, the financier did this, primarily with the aim of attracting world markets. The minister founded the French school of painting and sculpture in Rome at the Villa Medici, opened an observatory in Paris and invited the astronomer Cassini to work there; he also bought books to replenish royal library and, finally, being the superintendent of construction, he supervised the reconstruction of Versailles.

Although Colbert was twenty years older than the king, he treated his monarch with reverent awe. Leaving the country house of So, this influential and powerful man, who kept the whole of France at bay, took a piece of bread with him to the park and threw it across the canal. If the bread fell on the other side, this meant that Louis XIV would be in a good mood, if the bread fell to the input, Colbert had no doubt that thunderstorms would not pass.

Lebrun was born in the same year as Colbert and worked with him most of their lives: They were similar in that they did not shun any work. Lebrun was found by Chancellor Séguier when he was ten years old, and he drew scenes from the Apocalypse on tracing paper. He received his first serious commission in 1649; he was to decorate the Hotel Lambert, the Parisian home of a wealthy government official. He then worked for Fouquet at Vaux-le-Vicomte; in 1662 the king made him chief court painter and commissioned the decorative work of Versailles. In addition, Lebrun was the director of a large tapestry factory, which was engaged not only in the production of woven carpets, but also in almost all the furniture for Versailles. Lebrun, although he does not belong to the number of first-class painters, was an excellent designer. Almost all the furnishings and decoration of the palace: chairs, tables, carpets, trim, decorative wall panels, silver, tapestries and even keyholes are made according to his original sketches; he painted the ceilings in the Mirror Gallery, as well as in the halls of War and Peace, the facade of the small royal house in Marly. Lebrun created bow decorations for galleys and scenery for holidays. In addition, he managed to paint huge canvases on religious and mythological themes. He loved allegories and battle scenes, but was rather indifferent to nature.

Rebuilding the castle from 1661 to 1668 was the architect Levo. Lebrun and Leveaux worked in perfect harmony. The most famous buildings of Le Vaux are Vaux-le-Viscount, the Hotel Lambert and the Institute de France, built by the architect after his death. Much of his work at Versailles in later times was covered by the work of the architect Mansart. Levo left the eastern facade of brick and stone in its original form, but attached two wings to it; on the way to the building, he erected a number of pavilions intended for ministers.

Le Nôtre was born into a gardener's family and was to become a royal gardener himself. His grandfather looked after Marie de Medici parks; his father was chief gardener at the Tuileries; the husband of one of his sisters grew a young garden for Anne of Austria, and the husband of the second looked after her orange trees. Le Nôtre dreamed of becoming an artist and began life in the studio of Vouet, but soon returned to gardening. He succeeded his father at the Tuileries and gave the parks there a new look. He was noticed by Fouquet and invited to Vaud, where the result of his work did not leave the Sun King indifferent, who immediately appointed him the general manager of all his parks. We owe him not only the gardens of Versailles, but also the parks of Chantilly, Saint-Cloud, Marly, So; the creation of his hands is the famous terrace in Saint-Germain-au-Laye, as well as numerous private parks and gardens, and the magnificent wide avenue Champs Elysees, originating from the Louvre. The city of Versailles was also built according to his design.

Le Nôtre carried an interest in painting and art throughout his life. His home at the Tuileries abounded with beautiful things, including Chinese porcelain. When he left home, he left the keys on a carnation so that art connoisseurs who came in his absence would not be disappointed and could admire the magnificent collection.

Quentini played an equally significant role in the arrangement of Versailles. He planted a garden. At first he worked as a lawyer in Poitiers, but his real passion was vegetables and fruits. His book on gardening and horticulture can be ranked among the best publications on this subject; she awakens in the reader a passion for gardening; his advice is detailed and simple enough that even a child can understand them.

The king adored Quentini. He raised him to the nobility and gave him a house in the garden, where he often visited for a walk. Today, the garden and vegetable garden remain almost unchanged, including the gate marked "Public" through which the people of Versailles entered to take free vegetables.

Quentini pears existed in Versailles until 1963, when the last two trees had to be dug up. In the 19th century, many of them were still bearing fruit and endured well the winters that killed other fruit trees.

So, after 1661, Louis XIV wished own palace, which in its splendor and luxury would surpass other castles in France and even Europe. The king chose Versailles as the place of construction, a small village with a population of five hundred, where there was a small hunting castle of Louis XIII. The best architects, sculptors, artists of the 17th century worked on the construction, huge sums of money were spent on the construction of the castle. But the Sun King spares nothing. Led to the construction of Versailles, as we see, the desire of Louis to have his own, unique palace, which was supposed to be proof of the glory and power of the king.

Finances of France and the Palace of Versailles

When it comes to the money spent on the construction of Versailles, historians unanimously agree that the palace was worth huge sums. And if we take into account the cost of interior decoration, we get colossal numbers. Although the comptroller-general of the finances, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, tried to instill a penchant for frugality in the king, the desire for the king's glory came at a cost.

Before Colbert was yet superintendent of construction, from 1661 to 1663, Versailles was already worth a million and a half (within four years he absorbed what Fontainebleau ate in 17 years). Almost all of this amount was used, apparently without any measure, to create parks. The king bought, increased, expanded, rounded up his possession. He comes up with pools, new parterres, a greenhouse, bosquets. In 1664, Versailles cost the construction administration 781,000 livres; next year - 586,000.

Colbert was undoubtedly concerned about these numerous expenses. He was worried and even angry. In a letter he wrote to the king (September 1665), anxiety sounds. “If Your Majesty wishes to discover traces of glory in Versailles, where more than five hundred thousand crowns have been spent in two years, you will undoubtedly be upset if you do not find it.”

Colbert still believed in the future of the Louvre and the Tuileries. At this time, Lorenzo Bernini, a sculptor, artist, architect, author of the colonnade at the Cathedral of St. Peter, monuments to popes Urban VIII and Alexander VII. He had to make from the Louvre most beautiful palace peace.

But more and more money is spent on Versailles every year. If in 1668 339,000 livres were spent on construction from the budget of the Ministry of Construction, in 1669 spending reaches 676,000 livres, and in 1671 - up to 2,621,000 livres. Beginning in 1670, new furniture appeared in the palace, decorated with silver lining, and His Majesty's bedroom was covered with gold brocade.

To get an idea of ​​what the livre (subdivided into 20 soles and 240 denier) was then at the end of the 17th century, we will give a few examples. In the cities, an unskilled worker could earn between 6 and 10 soles a day when there was work; qualified (cabinet maker, locksmith, stonemason) - 20 soles. Daily laborers in rural areas, when they found work (150 days a year), received 5-6 salts per day. The parish curate, who lived without trouble, could receive from 300 to 400 livres a year, that is, 20 soles for a full day's work. It can also be assumed that a modest family lived on 25 livres a month. Thus, having calculated the average annual income of such a family, we get: per year for the construction of Versailles (data of 1664), not counting the cost of interior decoration, as much money was spent as would be enough for the comfortable living of 3,000 families.

Versailles can be called in the full sense of the word, a peacetime construction site. After all, construction work began to revive and the largest financial investments occurred just at the time when peace was concluded. Let's compare some numbers. During the War of Devolution, Versailles cost the state 536,000 francs in two years. As soon as peace came, expenses immediately increased. In 1671, Versailles cost 676,000 francs. During the five years of war, from 1673 to 1677 inclusive, the amount spent on construction at Versailles amounted to 4,066,000 livres. As soon as the Nimwegen peace was concluded, the monarch no longer saw any reason to save. In 1679, the expenses of Versailles rise to 4,886,000 francs, and in 1680 they reach 5,641,000 francs. With the beginning of the Ten Years' War, the main construction projects stopped. In the documents of the construction ministry, you can see a report on the amounts spent on Versailles (excluding water supply): in 1685 - 6,104,000, in 1686 - 2,520,000, in 1687 - 2,935,000. Preparations for war are in full swing, and therefore costs are sharply reduced in 1688: 1976,000 livres. And then, for nine whole years, from 1689 to 1697 inclusive, Versailles cost France only 2,145,000 livres. Between 1661 and 1715, Versailles, together with the castle and office premises, cost 68,000,000 francs.

We must not forget that Versailles is not the only palace being built at that time. Numerous other construction projects were also underway in Paris. Until 1670, contributions to the construction of Parisian palaces were twice those provided to Versailles. Beginning in 1670, the situation changed.

And in 1684, the Ministry of Finance allocated 34,000 francs for only one housing for workers. The statistics are certainly impressive!

But if you think about it again, these expenses do not seem so astronomical compared with the costs of wars and the degree of political and artistic flourishing of the court during the time of the great king and further, during the whole age of Enlightenment. It is impossible to say better than Pierre Verlet: "Everyone will agree that Louis XIV, having given us Versailles, enriched France ... The spending of the great king gave the world a castle that one cannot but admire."

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 World cultural heritage UNESCO.

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 accessed with 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.