Versailles Castle: A Timeless Symbol of French Opulence

The Palace of Versailles, located on the western outskirts of Paris - right at Versailles, is the residence of the kings and queens of France (King Louis XIV, King Louis XV and King Louis XVI). With its massiveness and magnificence, this castle is the symbol of the supreme power of the feudal dynasties in French history. In 1979, Versailles Castle was recognized by UNESCO and included in the list of "World Heritage Sites". Let's find more at MBS87.

History of the castle of Versailles

King Louis XIII began building a small brick and stone cottage right in the woods of Versailles in 1623 with the purpose of having a place to rest while he hunted in the forest. After that, he bought a piece of land from Jean de Soisy - a person who held the entire land of Versailles at that time, to build the first marble castle in Versailles. 

On April 8, 1632, King Louis XIII bought the entire Versailles land, and soon after, he ordered the expansion of the castle to begin with the participation of architect Philibert Le Roy. The castle was completed in 1634, and two years later, based on the design of Boycaeu et Menours, a French landscaped garden was born. 

In 1643, King Louis XIII passed away and passed the throne to his son, one of the famous kings of French history, King Louis XIV, also known as "Louis the Sun". After Louis XIV ascended the throne, he felt uncomfortable with any of the royal palaces at that time. And the first time he visited Versailles, he was very interested and decided to gradually move the royal family to Versailles. 

On October 25, 1660, he officially moved back to Versailles castle with his queen, Marie-Thérèse. In 1661, Louis XIV decided to spend money to expand the castle with the intention of turning Versailles castle into the most magnificent castle among European royal families. 

From 1664 - 1666, Versailles castle continued to be expanded three times by Le Vau, the garden was added with statues created by architects Girardon and Le Hongre. The castle's large water reservoir, the Grand Canal, also began construction in 1667. 

From 1668 to 1684, Versailles castle continued to undergo many changes. The new Enveloppe Palace was built - a construction consisting of a building surrounding the original palace. The grand appartements (large room) of the king and queen were built on two wings, a large courtyard facing the landscaped garden,... After completion, this new castle was named "Château Neuf" to distinguish it from the old castle - "Château Vieux", built by King Louis XIII.

In addition, the porcelain Trianon palace was also built, and the Galerie des Glaces (mirror room) - the most luxurious room in the palace was also completed. In 1682, King Louis decided not to wait for the new palace to be completed, but left Saint-Cloud to return to Versailles and proclaimed this castle officially the castle of the French emperor.

After the French Revolution broke out, the French feudal regime under Louis XVI collapsed, and Versailles Castle also lost its inherent majesty. When the Bourbon dynasty returned, under King Louis-Philippe I, Versailles was transformed into a French historical museum - Musée d'Histoire de France. 

Later, the palace of Versailles was where the ceremony declaring the establishment of the German Empire took place in 1871 and also witnessed the signing of the "Peace of Versailles" that led to the end of World War I.

Architecture

A palace with an area of 67,000 square meters including 2000 rooms, a park with an area of 815 hectares, Versailles is one of the most beautiful and largest castles in Europe. 

In addition to its grandeur, Versailles Castle is also a work that marks the quintessence of French art in the 17th and 18th centuries, following the principles of "classicism", such as: the symmetry of the building, multi-columned corridors, works of art inspired by legends,... and interspersed with glimpses of Baroque art. 

Inside the castle, the grand appartements are connected by rows of ornate floor-to-ceiling corridors, the work of craftsmen led by Charles Le Brun. The Mirror Room is the largest room, 73 meters long, one side overlooks the garden, the other is covered by 17 extra-large mirrors. 

Besides the grand appartements, there are also petit appartement rooms with a smaller area. Including the King's bedroom (Chambre du roi) with many carpets and gilded wood paneling. In addition to rooms with working and resting functions, the castle also has a chapel and a private theater. At the chapel, the French emperors held royal prayers. And the theater was one of the last major structures to be built.

What should you visit when coming to Versailles castle?

The Palace of Versailles consists of 4 main parts: Versailles castle, Trianon estate, Royal garden and park. Let's walk around each area with MBS87 in Versailles Palace.

Versailles Castle

This is the main building of the palace, so its vastness and grandeur will overwhelm visitors. Right from the courtyard area was paved with marble at the gate. Inside the castle, every detail is beautifully decorated and carved. 

The Royal Chapel is one of the masterpieces at Versailles castle built by King Louis XIV but did not have the opportunity to admire this masterpiece. The chapel is decorated with white marble along with colorful murals. 

Mirror room - Galerie des Glaces, has a total of 357 mirrors crafted by professional glass artisans from Venice. In addition, the highlight of the room is the elaborately decorated ceiling, depicting a series of 30 of the most majestic scenes in the early years of the reign of King Louis XIV. 

And finally, the king's estate apartment (also known as grand appartements) is a set of 7 splendidly decorated rooms, bearing the mark of Italian architecture. Each room is decorated in a different way and is not currently used to sign high-level national statutes. The names of the seven rooms are: the Hercules Room, the Room of Abundance, the Venus Room, the Diana Room, the Mars Room, the Mercury Room and the Apollo Room.

Trianon Estate

In contrast to the luxury and splendor of Versailles castle, the Trianon estate is somewhat simpler and gentler. This area includes the Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and Queen's Hamlet (a garden house decorated in English style). This project was built by Queen Marie Antoinette with the purpose of being a place for her to enjoy rustic estate life.

Royal gardens and parks 

Located in the west, the royal garden is an additional feature to the beauty of the Palace of Versailles. Designed by architect André Le Nootre - a famous landscape architect, the garden became the standard for royal gardens around the world.

How to get to the Palace of Versailles? 

Only about 40 minutes by bus from Paris, you can fully visit the city of Versailles and the splendid Versailles palace in one day. Catching a bus from the capital, moving to the western suburbs of Paris, you have come to this place right away. 

MBS87 has a diverse vehicle system (bus, minibus, coach hire, limousine,...), able to serve all customers' numbers and requirements. Coming to us, your only job is to get on the bus rental Paris to Versailles, sit down and enjoy the street scene, and soon you will set foot right at the luxurious and splendid Versailles Palace. 

No matter where you are in Europe and want to visit the Palace of Versailles, don't worry, we currently have branches throughout Europe, so we can pick you up anywhere, anytime and get you where you need to go. We also help plan tours, specially coach rental in France service, and give you quotes for free. Please contact us immediately and enjoy a fun and wonderful trip.

References:https://mbs87.com/blogs/france-paris/versailles-castle 

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