Versailles: The Quintessential European Palace

Prior to 1662, the French royal family used Versailles merely as a hunting retreat. Louis XIII built a simple chateau able to accommodate himself and a small entourage. The surrounding area of Versailles was nothing more than a small country village. It was not until the reign of Louis XIV that Versailles became the quintessential European palace that other monarchs longed for.  Louis XIV disliked and distrusted Paris. Louis XIV desired to create a lavish residential community for himself and the French government. With the government housed in one area, the Sun King could exert complete control over a centralized government.Therefore, he moved the French government from Paris to Versailles in 1682. The Sun King needed a residence befitting his grandeur. The chateau de Versailles still stands today, as a reflection of the grand empire of Lois XIV.

                                             

The symbol of the Louis XIV, the Sun King

Most of the construction of the gardens and the grounds occurred between 1668 and 1684. Louis XIV constructed Versailles through four building campaigns. Besides the Sun King, three men were mostly responsible for the design of the palace. Louis Le Vau served as the main architect on the project. Charles Le Brun designed the interior of the seven hundred-room palace. Andre Le Notre designed the lavish landscaping around the palace.

                                        

A timeline from the literature given to visitors of Versailles.

Louis Le Vau designed the palace of Versailles using French Baroque style of architecture. French Baroque architecture inserts grand details upon orderly, symmetrical buildings. Large curved forms, twisted columns, high domes, and other complicated shapes characterize this type of architecture.  The exterior is reminiscent of classical Greek and Roman designs.

                                  

The interior of the palace of Versailles equals the grandeur of the architecture. Charles Le Brun created the Louis XIV style, which includes red and gold brocaded fabrics, marbling and many other lavish interior details.  The best example of this style and Brun’s most famous room is the Hall of Mirrors. This main gallery of the palace features seventeen mirrored arches reflecting seventeen arcaded windows, each looking out to the gardens. To emphasize the power of the French monarch, Louis the XIV commissioned Brun to paint the splendors of French government on the ceiling. Louis the XIV is depicted as a Roman Emperor, a great ruler over many foreign kingdoms.

                                         

The Hall of Mirrors

The gardens surrounding the palace are some of the most famous pieces of landscaping in history. The garden at the Versailles palace is Europe’s largest palace garden covering 250 acres of land. Andre Le Notre designed a series of geometric paths, bushes, trees, and flowerbeds with many statues adorning the gardens. Louis XIV insisted on created impressive water displays throughout the gardens. Andre Le Norte executed this vision through the construction of several fountains. The Fountain of Apollo and the Latonia Basin were not only artistic masterpieces but for their time were technological advanced hydraulic masterpieces. These fountains could not be supplied with enough water to run for more than special occasions. 

                                                           

                                 

The highlight of the garden is the Grande Canal. It measures 1500 meters long by 62 meters wide. Louis XIV sought to recreate the canals of Venice by bringing in gondolas and gondoliers. The “little Venice” housed these imports and yachts. The Grande canal also served as a holding tank for the water drained from the fountains to later be used to water the gardens.

                                

Unfortunately, during the revolution the temporary government auctioned off many of the pieces of artwork and furniture. The French government did not seriously seek to regain these pieces until World War II.  The palace of Versailles is not only famous for its architectural and artistic beauty.  Versailles witnessed several key historic events, including the Treaty of Paris - ending the American Revolution, proclamation of Kaiser Wilhelm I as Emperor of Germany, and the Treaty of Versailles - ending WWI.

For More Information

“1682 Versailles, capital of the kingdom.” Chateau De Versailles. http://en.chateauversailles.fr/history/the-great-days/most-important-dates/1682-versailles-capital-of-the-kingdom (accessed on March 14, 2014).

“Architecture, Sculpture, and Decoration at Versailles.” Boundless. https://www.boundless.com/art-history/europe-in-the-1600s-56eae394-9a18-46de-abfa-883be84660c0/france--3/architecture-sculpture-and-decoration-at-versailles/ (accessed on March 15, 2014).

“Château de Versailles, France.” World Site Guides.com. http://www.worldsiteguides.com/europe/france/chateau-de-versailles/ (accessed on March 14, 2014).

Jarus, Owen. “Palace of Versailles: Facts and History.” Live Science. http://www.livescience.com/38903-palace-of-versailles-facts-history.html (accessed on March 14, 2014).

“Palace of Versailles and its Gardens.” Irvine Valley College. http://www.ivc.edu/academics/schoolFA/arthistory/Documents/VERSAILLES_Fall_05/architecture.html (accessed on March 13, 2014).

“Versailles.” Historylines. http://www.historylines.net/history/17th_cent/versailles.html (accessed on March 14, 2014).

“Versailles Palace: Chateau de Versailles.” A View on Cities.  http://www.aviewoncities.com/paris/versailles.htm (accessed on March 14, 2014).