Palace of Versailles

Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles built in 1712 in Paris was the official residence of the French monarchy during the 17th and 18th centuries. The French Revolution forced the Monarchs out of the Palace and was later given to the city of Paris. In 1837, The Palace of Versailles became a Museum of History of France by orders of King Louis-Philippe, who came to the throne in 1830.

The Palace rooms now display the new collections of paintings and sculptures and important events that had marked the History of France. The State Apartments of the King were constructed between 1678 and 1686, at the same time as the Hall of Mirrors.

The king’s state apartments

The Hercules Room was originally a chapel, however, it was rebuilt in 1712 as a gallery showcasing the painting meal at the house of Simon the Verisee by Veronese. It was gifted to Louis XIV from the Republic of Venice in 1664. The Rooms name comes from the Apotheosis of Hercules ceiling painting by François Lemoyne.

The Hall of Plenty was used as an evening gathering and a refreshment room. it was also the antechamber of Louis XIV’s cabinet of Curiosities.

The venus room was mainly used for serving meals during evening receptions. On the ceiling in a gilded oval frame is the painting Venus subjugating the Gods and Powers, by Rene Antoine Houasse, you can find a life-size statue of Louis XIV made by Jean Warin.

The Diana room was used as a billiards room. The decoration of the walls and ceiling depicts scenes from the life of the goddess Diana, Diana was the goddess of the hunt.

The mars room was used as the royal guards until 1782, making its dedication to the god of war. In the centre of the ceiling is a painting by Claude Audran of Mars on a chariot pulled by wolves. and later became a concert room between 1684 and 1750.

Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles

The mercury room was the original state bedchamber when the court and government were moved to the palace in 1682. The ceiling paintings by the Flemish artist Jean Baptiste de Champaigne depicts the god Mercury in his chariot, drawn by a rooster, and Alexander the Great and Ptolemy surrounded by scholars and philosophers.

The Apollo room was designed to be as the sovereign’s ceremonial room, however, it was used as a throne room and the setting for formal audiences. The eight-foot silver throne was melted down to help pay the costs of expensive wars against other European nations. The ceiling painting depicts the Sun Chariot of Apollo, King Louis XIV’s favourite emblem.

The Abundance room was the antechamber of the cabinet of Curious, which display the collection of Louis XIV’s precious jewels and very rare objects. The ceiling depicts some of theres objects painted by Rene Antoine Houasse.

Royal Chapel was consecrated in 1710 and was dedicated to Louis IX of France, the ancestor and patron saint of the King. The paintings on the ceiling depict scenes depicting the three figures of the Trinity.

The Grand Gallery is a set of three highly decorated reception rooms: the hall of mirrors, the war room and the peace room.

The hall of mirrors construction began in 1678 and finished in 1689. The gallery is more than 70 metres long. It was used as a place for meetings and waitings and sometimes it was used for ceremonies purposes.

The war room construction began in 1678 by Hardouin Mansart and was completed in 1686 by Le Brun. The room pays tributes to the military victories that have led to the peace treaties of Nijmegen. The walls are covered with marble panels decorated with six trophies and weapons in gilded bronze.

The peace room was decorated like the room of war, however, Le Brun decorated the cupola and arches on the themes of peace that brought to Europe by France.

The Park is decorated with statues, fountains, water parterres and outstanding buildings such as the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon, the Temple de l’Amour and the Hamlet of Queen Marie-Antoinette.

Since 2003 the Palace has gone under major works, known as the Grand Versailles project, the project started with the replantation of the gardens and restoration of the Hall of Mirrors, The Royal Opera of Versailles was completed in 2009. Currently, the Palace of Versailles $400 million restoration project is to be completed by 2020.

The Palace and Park of Versailles are listed as a World Heritage Site since 1979.

Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles

Palace of Versailles Contact Information

Telephone: +33 1 30 83 78 00 | Official Website | Facts About Palace of Versailles

How To Get There

There are three train stations in Versailles, the closest one of the Palace is Versailles Château Rive Gauche. RER line C arrives at Versailles Château – Rive Gauche train station, just 10 minutes’ walk to the Palace.SNCF trains from Gare Montparnasse arrive at Versailles Chantiers train station, which is 18 minutes on foot to the Palace.
SNCF trains from Gare Saint Lazare arrive at Versailles Rive Droite train station, 17 minutes on foot to the Palace.

If Travelling by car or by coach, you can find a number of paid parking locations near the Palace, At the Place d’Armes, parking is offered for cars, minibuses and coaches, more Information

Looking for Walk Tours in Paris, France? There are entire books with self-guided walking tours.

Here some of our favourite.

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The Rough Guide to Paris (Rough

Opening Hours

Monday Closed
Tuesday 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Wednesday 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Thursday 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Friday 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Sunday 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

The estate of Trianon and the Coach Gallery only open in the afternoon. The Park and Gardens are open every day.

Admission

Ticket Type Extras Price
Passport: Access to the whole Estate The days of the Fountains, Shows and Musical Gardens €27
Passport: Access to the whole Estate without the Fountains, Shows and Musical Gardens €20
The Palace The Palace + audioguide €18
Estate of Trianon €12
Musical Fountains Show Groves open, music in the gardens and fountain displays €9,5
Musical Gardens Groves open and music in the gardens €8,5
The Gardens and The Coach Gallery Free Entry

Reduced Rates are available on site but we recommend you to buy it online to avoid waiting at the ticket office.

Collections

Architecture Arts décoratifs Histoire Sculpture
Boiseries Décors intérieurs Instruments et objets d’art Tapis
Orgue Mobilier Objets d’art Tapisseries
Peinture Salles de réception

Information

  • Architectural style: French Baroque architecture
  • Architects: Louis Le Vau, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Robert de Cotte, Ange-Jacques Gabriel, Claude Perrault, Philibert Le Roy, Jacques Gabriel Ange-Jacques Gabriel and Frédéric Nepveu.
  • Area: 8.2 km²
  • 250 acres of landscaped and manicured lawns and fountains
  • The Hall of Mirrors contains 357 mirrors in total
  • Stunning Chapel of Versailles
  • The Palace boasts around 2,143 windows, 1,252 fireplaces, and 67 staircases
Palace of Versailles Gardens
Palace of Versailles Gardens

WHERE TO STAY IN PARIS

Nearby places to stay as cheap as possible budget under £100:

  • Oops! Latin quarter by Hiphophostels: Oops boutique Hostel offers hostel accommodation in the 13th district in Paris, a 5-minute walk from Place d’Italie and its’ shopping centre. Check Price
  • Villa Toscane: is located in the 15th district of Paris. The hotel’s restaurant serves traditional dishes and fish specialities for dinner. Volontaires Metro Station (Line 12) is just 100 yards away and gives you direct access to Montmartre and the Champs Elysées. Check Price
  • Hotel de L’Union: in the 20th district of Paris. All of the rooms feature parquet floors, minibar and free WiFi access. Maraîchers Metro Station is just a few steps away from the property and will take you directly to Opera Garnier and Avenue des Champs Elysées via the line 9. Check Price

Nearby places to stay at a budget price over £200+:

  • Saint James Paris: Located a 20-minute walk from the Champs Elysées, the Saint-James Paris is situated in an elegant 19th-century building set in its own private garden. Spa facilities in partnership with Guerlain are available on site. Maraîchers Metro Station is just a few steps away from the property and will take you directly to Opera Garnier and Avenue des Champs Elysées via the line 9.  Check Price
  • Shangri-La Hotel: A former residence of Prince Roland Bonaparte and listed in the French “Monuments Historiques”, Shangri-La Hotel, Paris is a hotel palace located across the Seine and facing the Eiffel Tower. Some rooms and suites at Shangri-La Hotel, Paris offer stunning and unique views of the Eiffel Tower. Three restaurants, overseen by the Michelin starred Chef Christophe Moret, offer both a French and Asian cuisine including the 2 Michelin stars French Restaurant “L’Abeille” and France only Chinese Michelin star restaurant “Le Shang Palace”.Check Price
  • The Westin Paris Vendôme:  situated in central Paris, overlooks the Jardin des Tuileries and the Eiffel Tower. It has a fitness centre and a Spa with massage treatments. The elegant air-conditioned rooms have a modern décor and city or garden views. The restaurant offers gourmet cuisine and continental breakfast served in the chic dining area or in the stylish courtyard. Check Price.

Visiting Paris, France? We have other posts that you may enjoy that will be helpful on your trip.

Location

Address: Place d’Armes, 78000 Versailles, France | Coordinates 48.8048°N 2.1203°E

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