Architecture of Plateau de Versailles
... Versailles on October 6, 1789 at the beginning of the French Revolution. In 1837, King Louis-Philippe inaugurated the museum in the château, devoted to glorious events in the history of France. As you approach the château, you pass through the Court des Ministres, paved with cobblestones. Here stands a statue of Louis XVI as he looks at a town which basically only existed to create houses for 20,000 noblemen, their servants and other members of the court who could find no room at the chateau containing 3,000 beds! The entire château took over 50 years to construct. Forests were transplanted, hills leveled, and marshes drained before the actual building could take place. The palace is so large, it is impossible to see it all in one day. What visitors get to see is the great Hall of Mirrors, the Grand or State Apartments, the Petit or Private Apartments, and the chapel. The State Apartments consist of six grandiose salons that were the royal living quarters built for Louis XIV. The Private Apartments built by Louis XV and Louis XVI are more graceful. This is where the royal family and friends lived in relative privacy. The miniature opera house, built for Louis XV in 1770, was one of the first oval rooms in France. The room is painted in tromp l'oeuil, with mirrors behind the wall's light fixtures to make them look larger. Other clever tricks were also designed to make it look grander than its actual size. The chapel was built between 1689 - 1710. Louis XIV took residence in Versailles before it was completed. J. Mansart was overseeing the 36,000 laborers and soldiers. In addition to this, ten thousand residents were crowded into the buildings, not to mention all the servants. There was much celebration going on, but behind the glamour, Versailles was so overcrowded and filthy, the king and court would flee to Marly or another royal retreat for fresh air. Louis XVI often visited the Grand Trianon, a smaller ‘scaled down’ pleasure palace, built by Mansart in 1687, when he was seeking rest. The facade is white and pink marble. The interior is Empire style, dating from when Napoleon stayed there. A.J. GABRIEL built the Petit Trianon between 1762 and 1768 for Louis XV and Mme de Pompadour. The sculptor H. Guibert then decorated this 18th-century mansion. Louis XVI gave it to Marie Antoinette, and it became her favorite residence. She commissioned Anglo-Chinese gardens and Le Hammeau (the Hamlet) to be built. The Hamlet is a model farm, mill and dairy where she and compa...