The Palace of Versailles is an ensemble of luxurious palaces and parks on the outskirts of Paris. This architectural monument is famous for its gardens, fountains, luxurious interior and, most importantly, due to its unusual size - Versailles is the largest palace in Europe and can accommodate more than 20 thousand people at a time. In 1979, it was one of the first to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Palace of Versailles has become a symbol of the glory of France. Today, many tourists who come to Paris visit it. It amazes everyone with its scale and leaves no one indifferent.
The history of the Palace of Versailles begins with the order of Ludovico XIII. He ordered the construction of a modest hunting tower on the outskirts of Paris. After this, his successor Ludovico XIV, also known as the "Sun King", began construction of a grand palace complex. Work on the implementation of the plan began in 1661. They continued under the next king, but less actively. During the reign of Ludovico XV, the Petit Trianon palace, the opera and the Neptune pool were built.
It must be said that the engineers faced a very difficult task, but they successfully coped with the complex system of water pipes and underground reservoirs, and hundreds of kilometers of pipes are still working properly today.
You won't believe it, but there are 1,400 fountains in the Versailles Park. Let's look at some of them.
The palace and park complex is made in a single classical style. Before the revolution of 1789, the Palace of Versailles was the official residence of the French kings. After the overthrow of the monarchy, a period of its decline began and many valuables were sold at auctions. Reconstruction work began only under Napoleon, when power passed into his hands.
Right behind the palace begins the huge Versailles Park with neat French gardens. It is characterized by straight geometric lines, popular in that era. Many plants were restored based on historical archival documents of the museum. There are tropical trees and flowers brought from other countries. In winter, they are moved to special greenhouses to protect them from low temperatures.
The Versailles Park is currently the largest in Europe and is a masterpiece of gardening art.
The Palace of Versailles is one of those tourist places that is very difficult to visit in one day - the gardens alone occupy up to nine hundred hectares of land. There are three palaces on the territory of the museum complex: the main one, the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon. The royal stables and the village of Marie Antoinette are also very popular with tourists.
This is what the Royal Chapel looks like:
The Petit Trianon Palace is most often associated with the name of its last owner, Marie Antoinette. The young queen spent almost all her time away from the main palace and the nobility who hated her. An opera house and a small utopian village appeared next to the park, where the woman immersed herself in the life of a non-existent village.
Queen Marie Antoinette was a creative person. She did not like the life in the palace and the surrounding environment. Therefore, when the Petit Trianon palace came into her possession, she ordered a village of twelve houses to be built for her. Domestic animals and birds were brought there to create a peasant life.
This place attracts many tourists. It has an amazingly beautiful and peaceful atmosphere. All the elegant houses are located around a pond. It's a ten-minute walk from Trianon to the village.
The Grand Trianon, or Marble Palace, was built specifically for the king and his entourage. It was considered a privilege to go there. After the revolution, Napoleon and General Charles de Gaulle chose it as their residence. The palace features a pink marble façade and lush gardens.
Now let's talk about the halls of the Palace of Versailles. After the new monarch came to power, they were often remodeled. In their decoration you can see the praise of this or that king, the description of the history of France and the desire to show its superiority over other countries. Now they have been thoroughly restored, many relics lost during the revolutions have been returned.
The Palace of Versailles is also a repository of works of art. Here you will find paintings, sculptures, furniture, decorations. To enter all the halls accessible to tourists, you need to move along a special map that you will be given at the entrance to the main palace. The most famous are the Hall of Mirrors, the Throne Room (Apollo Hall) and the Hall of Venus. The other salons are named after Greek or Roman gods, goddesses, and mythological heroes: Hercules, Diana, Mercury, Mars, etc.
Here is the hall with mirrors:
The Throne Room:
The Venus Hall:
To get to Versailles (about 20 kilometers from the center of Paris), use:
- train line RER, C. Stop - station Versailles Chateau - Rive Gauche (30-40 min.), from there to the palace 10-15 minutes walk or by bus №117. I recommend you buy a roundtrip ticket to avoid queues. It will cost you about 7 euros. You will need a ticket for zones 1-4;
- bus №171. First take metro line 9 to the stop Pont de Sevres, follow the signs and at the exit of the metro you will see a bus stop. Use regular tickets;
- taxi: about 50-60 euros one way.
Ticket prices to the Palace of Versailles:
The price depends on how many days you come and what you will see, whether you will go to a performance or not, whether you will come for musical days or not.
- one-day, visiting all areas - 21 euros. If you add Grandes Eaux Musicales or Musical Gardens - 32 euros.
- there are many other types of tickets.
For more information about the Palace of Versailles and tickets (including online purchase), see the official website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/.
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