Vaunting about Versailles

Greetings, Readers!

Louis XIV Equestrian Statue

It is time to reveal those photos I know you've all been waiting for ... Versailles!  Because this palace is so magnificent, my commentary in this post may be a bit sparse, but I will do my best to not state the obvious.

Who better to welcome you to the incredible estate of the palace of Versailles than the man himself, Louis XIV.  In case you can't exactly recall your high school history courses, here's a refresher: Louis XIV was a beloved French monarch and thereby often referred to as the Sun King (makes you wonder about Abbey Road, doesn't it?).  Under him, Versailles began to take shape.  It was the official royal residence as well as the seat of French government.  The hall that was built under Louis XV for official government sessions doubles as the palace's Opera House, which still functions today.  What most people don't know is that it is also an incredible engineering feat, even by today's standards!  Part of the floor of the Opera House is built on a series of supports that can be raised or lowered depending on the current function of the room.  Performance nights required a raised floor for a stage, and concave shape for government meetings.  I'm not exactly sure how it works, but I think it is a complex network of pulleys and counterweights.  How cool is that!

Today, Versailles is absolutely MASSIVE!  But how it looks now is not how Louis XIV left it.  His successors, namely Louis XV and especially Louis XVI, continued construction and expansion of the grounds.  Because the palace was essentially under construction for over a century, there are many distinct architectural styles.

Front exterior of Versailles

Louis XV was, generally speaking, a popular monarch, but it is the wrath and greed of Louis XVI that most people remember learning about.  Louis XVI was the king who claimed absolute monarchy shortly after being crowned at 19, married Marie Antoinette of Austria (and we know how well that turned out), and was eventually beheaded (thanks to Madam Guillotine) during the French Revolution of 1789.  He was obsessed with having the best of everything, which probably stemmed from his pathological paranoia and distrust of everyone around him.  As a result, millions of tourists flock to the Château de Versailles every year to see the finest 18th century silks, gilded walls, and chandeliers dripping in crystal.

Entrance Gate to Versailles

Obviously, no expense was spared on this 18-carat gold plated gate.

If you are starting to feel intimidated or need to retrieve your jaw from the floor, then Versailles is doing its job!  With the growing power and threat of the rapidly expanding British Empire, the various Louis's* did their best to keep France on top.

Unfortunately for Louis XVI (and George III of GB), but quite fortunately for everyone else, the monarchy stood zero chance once the American colonies signed their letter of resignation in 1776.  French revolutionaries were inspired and followed suit.  In fact, Versailles sustained significant damages when mobs of people marched on those precious gates to riot against the monarchy or because of food shortages ... "give them cake," she cried.**  But, those areas of the palace have been rebuilt.  There are sections of the palace that are under restoration even today.

Hall of Mirrors, 1690

Louis XIV's personal chapel

The Galerie de Glaces (Hall of Mirrors), part of the Louis XIV construction project, is probably the most famous room in Versailles, and has actually been used as a set for a number of films, including Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst.  It was used for royal functions, dinners, and balls.  It's a bit of a sensory overload - there is so much to see!  The ceiling is covered with magnificent artwork, and the refracted sunlight from the chandeliers is accentuated and thrown in all directions by the mirrors that give this space its name.

The Blue Drafting Room

From here, we were led through many state rooms and bed chambers, each more lavish than the previous one.  But, the most significant room is relatively unassuming in comparison.  I don't remember the official name of this room, but it was made famous during the first half of the 20th century.  Any guesses?  That's okay - I had not thought of it before my visit.  Around that very table is where the most powerful world leaders gathered to sign the Treaty of Versailles at the end of the First World War (the peace treaty at the end of WWII was signed in Paris).  However, the "official" ceremony took place in the Hall of Mirrors.

[Oh, man, so much for sparse commentary!  I do this every time! I originally meant to do Versailles in one post, but there a few more rooms I want to cover, so the gardens will have to have their own post (though probably not as long as this one ... I hope!).]

Marble Stairs

Illustrated Martial History of France room

Ben's favorite room at Versailles was the HUGE art gallery.  This football-field-sized room housed giant paintings depicting the history of France's military and its military heroes.  We both really liked this room because it told a story as you progressed down the hall.

It almost felt like we may never get to the end of that hall!  But we did, and found ourselves in the "plainest" part of the palace: the area I call the "Marble Stairs."  It is beautiful in its monochrome of white marble.  The artistry of the marble adds an incredible amount of grand texture.

You must must must visit Versailles!  I simply don't know enough adjectives to do it justice here, but I hoped you enjoyed reading!


* I'm afraid I don't know the proper way to punctuate that ... one does not simply put an "s" on the end of Louis to denote more than one
** Famously attributed to Marie Antoinette, but it is unclear whether or not she actually uttered those words.