Palace and park ensemble Versailles.

Only representatives of the royal family have always had the right to die in the chambers of the Palace of Versailles. But for the sake of the Marquise de Pompadour, who was the official favorite, friend and adviser of Louis XV, dedicated to almost all the secrets of Versailles, the king made an exception.

She was smart, prudent, did not let the ruler get bored and relied on his passion for art, inviting the most famous and interesting people of that time to the palace - Montesquieu, Voltaire, Buffon, and others. his dirty work, undermining health, and destroying beauty.

She died at the age of forty-three in the palace chambers and was buried in Paris near her daughter. They say that when the funeral procession headed for the capital, the king, standing on one of the balconies of Versailles in the pouring rain, said: “Well, you chose terrible weather to take a last walk, madam.” There was a deep sadness behind this joke.

The Palace of Versailles is located in one of the most respectable cities in France, Versailles, twenty kilometers from Paris in a southwest direction, at the address: Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles. On the geographical map of the world, this unique architectural monument can be found at the following coordinates: 48° 48′ 15.85″ N. w, 2° 7′ 23.38″ in. d.

The history of Versailles began when Louis XIV saw the castle of the Minister of Finance Vaux-le-Vicomte, which in beauty, scale and grandeur far surpassed such royal residences as the Louvre and Tuilre. Such a "king-sun" could not stand, and therefore decided to build a castle, which would be a symbol of his absolute power. He chose the city of Versailles for the construction of a new royal residence not by chance: just recently the Fronde uprising took place in France, and therefore living in the capital seemed to him rather dangerous.

Palace construction

The construction of the palace began in 1661 and more than 30 thousand builders were involved in the work (in order to increase the number of workers, Louis banned all private construction in the vicinity of the city, and in peacetime soldiers and sailors were sent to the construction site). Despite the fact that literally everything was saved during construction, a huge amount of money was eventually spent - 25 million lira or 19.5 tons of silver (almost 260 billion euros). And this, despite the fact that building materials were sold to the king at the lowest prices, and the expenses of the performers, if they exceeded the estimate, were not paid.

Despite the fact that it was officially opened in 1682, construction work did not stop there, and the palace complex was constantly growing due to the construction of new buildings until the French Revolution of 1789. The first architect of this unique monument of Baroque architecture was Louis Le Vaux, who was later replaced by Jules Hardouin-Monsart. For the design of the parks, which was carried out simultaneously with the construction of the palace, Andre Le Nôtre was responsible, and the royal painter Lebrun was responsible for the interior decoration.

The work was complex: first it was necessary to drain the swamps, cover them with earth, sand and stones, and then level the soil and create terraces. Instead of the village located there, it was necessary to equip the city, where the courtiers, servants and guards were to settle.

In parallel with this, work was going on in the gardens. Given that Louis XIV was called the "Sun King", Le Nôtre planned the park of Versailles in such a way that its alleys, when viewed from the upper floors of the palace, diverge from the center, like the rays of the sun. At the initial stage of the work, it was necessary to dig channels and build a water pipe, which was originally intended to supply water to fountains and artificial waterfalls.

Considering that more than fifty fountains and ponds needed to be provided with water, this work was not easy - and the aqueduct, which was originally built, was not enough. In the end, after numerous trials and attempts, a hydraulic system was created, in which water came from the Seine flowing nearby.

Louis XIV died without completing his building in 1715, and after his death, Louis XV, who was then only five years old, and with him the whole court, left for the city of Paris for some time. True, he did not stay there for long, after seven years he returned to Versailles and after a while ordered to continue construction work.

One of the significant changes he made to the layout was the demolition of the Ambassadors' Staircase, the only ceremonial road leading to the Great Royal Apartments - this he did in order to build rooms for his daughters. He completed work on the opera house and, at the insistence of his mistress, Madame Pompadour, built the Petit Trianon.

In the last years of his life, Louis XV took up the reconstruction of facades: according to one project, these were supposed to be works from the courtyards of the castle, in another way, it was supposed to create facades in the classical style from the side of the city. It should be noted that this project lasted an extremely long time and was completed only at the end of the last century.

Description of Versailles

Experts say that the castle of Versailles was a place where the monarchs, and with them the royal court, rested on a grand scale, weaved intrigues, conspiracies and created numerous secrets of Versailles. This tradition was founded by Louis XIV - and it was successfully continued by his descendants, and reached special proportions under Marie Antoinette, who was very fond of having fun with the courtiers and creating the history of France, intriguing and creating the secrets of Versailles.

In the final version, the total area of ​​the palace premises, not including the park, was about 67,000 square meters. 25 thousand windows, 67 stairs, 372 statues were installed in it.

This is the main building in which several generations of French rulers lived. Officially, one could get into the castle through the main entrance - cast-iron lattice gates decorated with gold with the royal coat of arms and crown. In front of the main facade of the castle, from the side of the Mirror Gallery, two equally elongated pools lined with granite slabs were installed.

On the right side of the entrance, a two-story royal chapel was equipped (the second tier was intended for the monarch and members of his family, the courtiers were below). In the northern part there were the Large apartments of the king, consisting of seven salons, in the south - the chambers of the first ladies.

In total, Versailles has about seven hundred rooms for various purposes. The throne room of the palace was called the Salon of Apollo - here the monarch received foreign ambassadors, and in the evening theatrical performances and musical performances were often staged here.

One of the most famous rooms is the Mirror Gallery, which has always played an important role in the life of the palace: significant receptions were held here, for which a silver throne was installed, as well as balls and magnificent festivities (for example, a royal wedding). The courtiers crowded here, waiting for the king, when he was heading to the chapel - this was a great opportunity to petition him.

The mirror gallery has always looked remarkable: its seventeen window openings, made in the form of an arch, overlook the garden, between them there are huge mirrors that visually enlarge the space (in total, the gallery has 357 mirrors). The ceiling is extremely high, about 10.5 meters, and the room itself is 73 meters long and 11 meters wide. Since many mirrors are placed opposite windows, the gallery appears to have windows on both sides. It is interesting that until 1689 the furniture here was made of pure silver, but then it was melted down into coins that covered military expenses.

Grand Trianon

Castle in classical style, lined with pink marble. Monarchs were used for a wide variety of purposes: from meetings with favorites to hunting.

Small Trianon

The palace is a transition from the Rococo style to classicism and was built on the initiative of one of the favorites of Louis XV, the Marquise de Pompadour. True, she died a few years before the end of construction, and therefore another favorite, Countess Dubarry, lived in it. When Louis XVI became king, he gave the castle to Marie Antoinette, where she rested from palace life (even the king had no right to come here without her permission).

After some time, next to this palace, the queen built a small village with thatched roof houses, a windmill - in a word, as she imagined the life of the peasants.

Park and gardens

The Palace of Versailles and the park are two inseparable concepts. The gardens of Versailles consist of a huge number of terraces, which gradually decrease as they move away from the castle. They occupy an area of ​​about one hundred hectares, and this whole territory is absolutely flat and it is impossible to find any small mound on it.

There are several palace buildings, among them - the Grand and Petit Trianon, the Empress's theater, the Belvedere, the Temple of Love, the French pavilion, the grotto, as well as viewing platforms, alleys, sculptures, a system of fountains and canals, because of which the gardens of Versailles were nicknamed " little Venice.

The further fate of Versailles

For about a hundred years, the Palace of Versailles was the residence of the French kings. So, it was until, as a result of the uprising of 1789, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were arrested and redirected to the city of Paris, where after a while they laid their heads on the guillotine. After that, the Palace of Versailles almost immediately ceased to be the administrative and political center of France, and he himself was plundered, as a result of which many masterpieces were hopelessly lost.

When Bonaparte came to power, he took the castle under his protection and ordered to start developing a plan to restore the palace complex (furniture from Fontainebleau and the Louvre was brought for this). True, all plans failed, and his empire collapsed. This only benefited Versailles, because the Bourbons returned to power, who began to actively restore the castle, and then transferred it to the museum.

The role of the castle in the life of society was not limited to this, and the secrets of Versailles continued to be created on its sidelines: when the Germans captured Versailles during the Franco-Prussian war, they placed the main headquarters here, and proclaimed the German Empire in the Mirror Gallery. Here, a month later, they signed a peace treaty with France, after which the French government sat in the palace for some time.

After the end of the First World War, the French, in order to take revenge on the Germans, in the Mirror Gallery forced them to sign the Treaty of Versailles. But forty years after World War II, the French-German reconciliation took place in the Palace of Versailles. After the war, the French began to collect money everywhere to restore the castle, and over time, many lost values ​​\u200b\u200breturned to Versailles, UNESCO added it to its list, and at the beginning of the twenty-first century it joined the Association of European Royal Residences.

How to get to Versailles

Those wishing to get to Versailles on their own should take into account that on Mondays the Palace of Versailles is closed for visiting. In addition, knowledgeable people do not recommend going here on Sunday, when the French have a day off, and Tuesday - on this day, most of the museums in Paris are closed, and therefore many people come here. In order to avoid queues, it is better to arrive early in the morning or between 15.30 and 16.00.

Anyone who wants to get to this architectural monument on their own must first get to Paris, which is the closest major city to Versailles. Then there are several options: you can get to the Palace of Versailles by train or by bus.

Then you need to independently drive to the railway station and take one of the three Versailles Paris railway routes (the journey will take about forty minutes). If you use line C, you should take into account that the train leaves from here every fifteen minutes, and you will need to pay about 2.5 euros for a ticket. But the trip from the Paris Saint Lazare station will cost one euro more. In addition, once an hour to the city where the residence of the kings is located, there is a train from the Paris Montparnasse station.

Those wishing to travel by bus to Versailles on their own can be advised to use route number 171, the stop of which is located at the Pont de Servres station at the final station of the ninth metro line. In this case, the journey will take about thirty-five minutes, and the ticket will cost less - about one and a half euros.

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 overall appearance 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

The history of the construction of the Versailles complex is 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 of the 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, the small hunting lodge was turned into a fortified royal country 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, and 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, who miraculously survived the civil war - the Fronde, understood that he had to concentrate power in his own hands, but 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 in order 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. The western part 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, as 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. The internal interiors of the main building were redone, in particular - for the construction of chambers for the king's daughters, the Ambassadors' Staircase, 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 the 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.

The initial reconstruction of the hunting lodge was financed by the personal funds of 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 at 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.

Exterior view of the central building - chateau

After passing through the main entrance to Versailles, the visitor enters the courtyard of the Chateau and can go both directly to the palace and 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 there 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 a small village near her 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.

Part of Marie Antoinette's farm

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 the entire park area of ​​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

	en.chateauversailles.fr
How to get there:	The main way to get to Versailles from Paris is by RER trains, line C, Versailles Rive Gauche station. From the stop to the entrance to the complex about 10 minutes on foot. There is a direct bus from the Pont de Sevres metro station, its number is 171, the stop is the final one. Numerous shuttle buses are also organized by various travel agencies.
Visit cost:	Full ticket (Chateau, Trianons, farm) - 18 € or 25 € on the days of the fountains; Two-day full ticket - 25 € or 30 € on the days of the fountains; Chateau only – 15 € Big and Small Trianons, farm – 10 € Park - when the fountains are turned off the entrance is free, when the ticket is turned on it costs 9 € Night show of fountains – 24 € Ball – 17 € Ball + night show - 39 &euro. For children from 0 to 5 years old, entrance to Versailles is free. Students, children from 6 to 17 years old, people with disabilities receive discounts.
Working hours:	Chateau - from 9:00 to 17:30 (18:30 in high season); Trianons and farm - from 12:00 to 17:30 (18:30); Garden - from 8:00 to 18:00 (20:30); Park - from 8:00 to 18:00 (during the high season from 7:00 to 20:30). The entire complex is always closed on Mondays. There are also three additional days off: January 1, May 1, December 25.
Facilities:	On the territory of Versailles there is a cafe with a terrace and takeaway food, as well as several outlets with jacket potatoes and fresh juices. There are two restaurants near the Grand Canal. To move around the park, you can rent a segway, a bicycle or take a ride on a tourist train that will take you from the Chateau to the Trianons for 7.5 €. You can also rent a boat to explore the Grand Canal and Little Venice.

Versailles on the map

A photo

Versailles Versailles

Versailles is a city in France, a southwestern suburb of Paris. First mentioned in 1075. In 1682-1789 the main residence of the 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 lavish 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. Lenotre), with elegant pavilions ions, 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 the "Gabriel 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 architect Hardouin-Mansart), southern (1682) and northern (1685, both architect Hardouin-Mansart) buildings; The Opera House at the end of the northern building (1748-70, architect J. A. Gabriel, sculptor O. Pajou). 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 are 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 the landscape park adjoins (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 ensembles of Versailles turned into the National Museum of Versailles and the 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

(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 cut 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. It passes strictly through the central part of the 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 Versailles Park 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.)

Synonyms:

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. He grew up near a hunting castle founded by Louis XIV in 1661, but the name is already mentioned in 1074: apud Versalias near Versailles, modern. Versailles. Name… … Geographic Encyclopedia

versailles- I, m. Versaille. Palace residence fr. kings near Paris. A role model for modern European monarchs. It was considered as a center of sophistication, subtle and flattering diplomacy, etc. Paraphrasing Versailles, at least in relation to ... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

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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

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 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. The famous palace is 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 large-scale 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 the creation of a 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 while hunting in the 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 a 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 main entrance to the territory of the palace complex, there are gates made of gold, decorated with a coat of arms and a crown. 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. Here you can find amazingly decorated fountains with musical arrangements, botanical gardens, greenhouses, and 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.

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

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

Of course, you can enjoy the luxury of the interior decoration of the chambers of the palace, but you can have a great day walking in the park of the Palace of Versailles. Well-groomed gardens, fragrant flower beds, musical fountains - there is everything that can please the aesthetic sense. In addition, two more palaces are located in the park of Versailles: the Grand Trianon (a palace in the Italian architectural style) and the Petit Trianon (a more modest building designed for the famous mistress of Louis XV, Madame de Pompadour). The park also houses the village of Marie Antoinette, a small farm with a thatched roof. The modest decoration of the Petit Trianon and the graceful asceticism of the village of Marie Antoinette will give your eyes, weary of the radiance of the Palace of Versailles, a long-awaited rest, and the fountains, synchronized with music, will become a real treat for your ears.

Tourists

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

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

You can buy tickets on the palace website, in FNAC stores (http://www.fnac.com/localiser-magasin-fnac/w-4), at the tourist office, which is located near the Versailles - Rive Gauche station, and, finally, at the box office of the palace itself.

When buying tickets to Versailles, it is very important not to get confused, as they have many varieties. Firstly, you can visit the palace with a museum card - Paris Museum Pass (http://en.parismuseumpass.com/). Many other Parisian sights can be visited on the same card, but if you are not going to visit all the museums of Paris in a short time, it simply will not pay off.

A full ticket to Versailles costs €25 on fountain days and €18 when the fountains are closed. For 15 € you can visit the Palace of Versailles separately with its famous Mirror Gallery, the chambers of the king and queen, frescoes, paintings and sculptures.

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

If you go to Versailles in the summer, don't forget to bring a hat or cap with you: there is practically no place to hide from the sun in the gardens, so you can easily overheat.

Story

Now it is difficult even to imagine that at the beginning of the 17th century, on the site of the present Palace of Versailles, the gardens of which amaze with their perfect grooming, there were marshy swamps. But despite such unfavorable natural conditions, this area southwest of Paris attracted the attention of Louis XIII, who in 1624 ordered the construction of a small hunting castle here. And in 1661, Louis XIV remembered this castle, to whom it seemed that it was not safe for him to stay in Paris.

According to legend, when King Louis XIV was only 5 years old, he, walking through the picturesque Tuileries Garden, looked into a puddle. The sun reflected in the water. "I am the sun!" the boy shouted happily. From that day on, Louis was affectionately referred to by his subjects and family as the "Sun King". Even in his youth, he dreamed of something big, perfect and unique, such that it would amaze the whole of Europe - better than the Louvre, Vincennes and Fontainebleau combined. It took Louis XIV 50 years to make his dream come true! The "Sun King" turned his father's hunting castle into the largest palace in Europe! The interior decoration was entrusted to the painter Charlevy Lebrun, and the design of the gardens was entrusted to André Le Nôtre.

The "Sun King" was able to arrange a truly sun-like palace in Versailles, worthy of his greatness. Eight hundred hectares of swamps, where the king's father loved to hunt, were drained, and luxurious gardens, parks, alleys and fountains took their place.

In 1682, Louis XIV was already quite uncomfortable in the usual Paris, and the monarch decides to move to Versailles. At that time, the palace was not yet fully completed, and indeed not quite suitable for life, but the autocrat was adamant. The king has dreamed of the Palace of Versailles for so long that he can no longer wait - and the entire royal court is forced to follow Louis.

The palace complex of Versailles was created with the aim of glorifying France, and this initial plan was successfully implemented. The splendor of the interior decoration, ideal gardens and alleys, luxurious fountains, the scale of the palace and park ensemble - all this made the guests of the French court freeze in admiration.

The Palace of Versailles was the center of political life in France until the French Revolution in 1789. Along with the fall of the autocracy, the symbol of which was Versailles, the palace began to fall into disrepair.

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

Chronology

• October 5, 1789: The revolutionaries expelled King Louis XVI from the Palace of Versailles.
• 19th century: Active restoration and conservation of the building began, which has not been completed to this day.
• January 18, 1871: King Wilhelm I of Prussia is crowned Emperor (Kaiser) of Germany in the Hall of Mirrors.
• February 26, 1871: A peace treaty is signed at Versailles, ending the Franco-Prussian War.
• June 28, 1919: The Treaty of Versailles is signed, stipulating the conditions for ending the First World War.