What was versailles built for

Mansart did not live to see its completion, as he died in ; Charles Le Brun and Pierre Mignard did not even see the work begin, for the same reason. A new generation of artists then took over, inspiring a change in taste, after decades dominated by the Classical style They simply refurbished the Royal Apartments in the latest style, whilst still religiously preserving the lavish decor of their forefather.

However, some projects to radically transform the Palace did emerge under Louis XV's reign, as witnessed by the Gabriel Wing, home to the grand staircase which now leads to the State Apartments. However, of most significance under this reign was the construction of the Royal Opera House , with its long-imagined, lavish concert hall.

In fact, it was only completed in to host the wedding celebrations of the Dauphin and the Archduchess, Marie-Antoinette. The Versailles Tourist Office located on the Avenue de Paris is opened and welcomes you from Tuesday till Thursday from 10 am till pm - till 5 pm. And from Friday till Sunday from 10 am till 5 pm. The Royal Tennis Court is closed for renovation Versailles under the reign of Louis XIV Only at the start of his personal reign after the Fronde civil wars and the death of Mazarin did Louis XIV begin to frequent Versailles, which he then considered merely as a place of leisure.

Versailles, the home of Louis XIV and his Court Yet, this construction work was nothing compared to the work that began in , the year which marked a real turning point for the Kingdom: Louis XIV won the Franco-Dutch War, which resulted in the Peace Treaty of Nijmegen, and, from then on, he could be considered as the most powerful King in Europe. My bookmarks.

Your travel note is empty. Show map Close Map. This was only worsened by the fact that Louis kept everyone under surveillance and intercepted their mail. Courtiers came up with codes to try to keep their messages secret, so the King employed cryptographers.

Yet the only thing worse than being at Versailles was not being at Versailles. For a short while, at least. The ailing King may have been more concerned with his spiritual wellbeing, but he still made enemies in Europe notably with the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which had protected Protestants in France and courted war. Silver from Versailles had to be melted down to pay for his campaigns, with public opinion finally turning on him after the disastrous War of the Spanish Succession in the early 18th century.

When Louis died on 1 September , after gangrene spread through his leg, he had spent more than 72 years on the throne and outlived many of his descendants, including his son.

It would be his great-grandson who succeeded him. He had fulfilled his dream of building a palace that would be the heart of France — and that may have contributed to the downfall of the monarchy. Versailles came to be seen as a symbol of waste and corruption that fuelled the fires of the French Revolution. Trees uprooted by a massive storm in , including some planted by Marie Antoinette and Napoleon.

Time taken to construct the Grand Canal, from At parties, its 1,metre length would be lined with candles or torches. Sign in. Back to Main menu Virtual events Masterclasses. The grand gardens of Versailles need to be replanted every century to maintain their design. The Affair of the Poisons With such labyrinthine rules, was it possible to rig the game at Versailles? Louis creates the first knights of the Order of St Louis in Louis turned his life, movements and even ablutions into a daily performance.

What was it like living at the Palace of Versailles? Instead, courtiers had to scratch the woodwork with the little finger on their left hand and wait to be granted entrance. Women could not hold hands or link arms with a man. They could place their hands on top of his bent arm or touch fingertips. No one could sit on a chair with arms in the presence of the King or Queen. Chairs with backs were reserved for the highest-ranking nobles, like the dauphin, so most perched on stools.

When presented to the King for the first time, women had to curtsy three times while approaching and three times when retreating. It was improper to ask to relieve yourself in front of the King, even during a coach ride that could last hours.

Courtiers either did not drink beforehand or trusted in their bladder control. Men had to have swords when attending the public meals, called the Grand Couvert. If they arrived unprepared, they had to rent one. A courtier could not wipe their face or nose with a napkin.

Instead, courtiers said it silently while removing their hat. Courtiers thought nothing of answering the call of nature in the corridors. There are mirrors in the hall, which at the time were among the most expensive items to possess.

Venice had the monopoly on making mirrors but France managed to entice Venetian mirror makers to come over to create some specially for the palace. Legend has it, in order to keep its monopoly and prevent the craftsmen from giving away their secrets; the Venetian government kept an eye on the craftsmen's movements and forbade them to leave the city under penalty of death.

But it has also been a witness to some of the most important moments in history, the most significant being the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The Treaty was the most important of the peace treaties that brought World War I to a close, ending the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers.

It was signed on 28 June in Versailles, exactly 5 years after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand that directly led to the war beginning.

Reception honouring J. The king ate cold meals as the kitchen was so far away from his dining room. The palace was large, but a potential oversight from the architect was the distance between the kitchen and the dining rooms. With sometimes over 5, people to feed, hundreds of servants were needed to get all those mouths fed.

Unfortunately for the king, the distance from his seat to the kitchen was so far away, his meals were often served cold. Eventually, in the 18th century, Louis XV had private kitchens built in his private apartments. She used the residence as her own personal retreat and it included a theater and farm area that produced fresh vegetables and dairy products. Near the temple, Marie-Antoinette had a private grotto built, which was a secluded cave-like area overgrown with vegetation.

It supposedly had a moss bed and two entrances, which seems like the perfect escape for secret meeting — although its purpose has never been confirmed, wink wink. One of the original features of the palace was an elaborate menagerie built by architect Louis le Vau. This model and approach was soon adopted throughout Europe, and menageries of this kind were eventually called zoos. The palace was of course a place for extravagance and entertainment, but is also played an important role in scientific research.