History
The area where the Palace of Versailles is located was originally a forested and swampy wasteland. in 1624, King Louis XIII of France bought 117 French acres of wasteland for 10,000 livres, and built a two-story, red-brick building on the site to be used as a hunting lodge. At that time, the Versailles residence had 26 rooms, with the king's office, bedchamber, receiving room, hiding room, entourage bedrooms and other rooms on the second floor, and a furniture storage room and armory on the first floor.
In 1660, King Louis XIV visited the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte (Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte) of the Minister of Finance, Fouquet (Fouquet), for the grandeur of its houses and gardens, when the royal family's palaces in the outskirts of Paris - St. Germain, Versailles, St. Creu, and so on. None of the royal palaces in the suburbs of Paris - St. Germain, Versailles, St. Croix, etc. - could be compared with it. Louis XIV, furious that he was not doing his duty, threw Fouquet into the Bastille for "embezzlement" and ordered the architect of the Vicomte de Vaux's residence, André Le N?tre, and the famous architect, Louis Le Vau, to design a new palace for him.
The 16th and 17th centuries were characterized by constant riots among the citizens of Paris, and two large-scale stoner rebellions from 1648 to 1653, so Louis XIV decided to move the royal court out of the chaotic and noisy city of Paris. He decided to build a new palace based on Louis XIII's hunting lodge at Versailles. For this purpose, 6.7 square kilometers of land were acquired. While Le N?tre designed the gardens and fountains of Versailles in 1667, Le Vau added new palaces to the west, north and south of the hunting lodge, enclosing the original hunting lodge. The east fa?ade of the original palace was preserved as the main entrance, and the Marble Court was built.
The architect Jules Hardouin Mansart, who took over the work of Versailles from Le Vau in 1674, added the north and south wings of the palace, the chapel, the orangery, the stables and other outbuildings, as well as three radiating avenues in front of the palace. In order to attract residents to settle in Versailles, a large number of houses and offices were also built in the town of Versailles. In order to ensure that the construction of Versailles went smoothly, Louis XIV ordered a 10-year ban on the use of stone in any other new construction throughout the country.
On May 6, 1682, Louis XIV announced that the Court of France would move from Paris to Versailles. The construction of the main part of the Palace of Versailles was completed in 1688, while the construction of the entire palace and gardens was not fully completed until 1710, and it then became the largest, most majestic and most luxurious palace building in Europe, and became the center of aristocratic activities, the center of the arts, and the birthplace of cultural fashion in France and even in Europe. In its heyday, the palace inhabited by princes and grandchildren, noblewomen, princes and nobles, bishops and their attendants and servants amounted to as many as 36,000. Also stationed in Versailles were the Swiss Hundred, the Scots Guards, the Court Police, 6,000 royal guards, 4,000 infantry and 4,000 cavalry. Louis XIV also built the Grand Trianon and the Palais de Marly to house his numerous "official mistresses". Under Louis XV and Louis XVI, the Petit Trianon and the Swiss Farm were built in the gardens of Versailles.
On October 6, 1789, Louis XVI was taken hostage by the people in the city of Paris, and the history of Versailles as a royal palace came to an end. In the ensuing French Revolutionary Terror, the Palace of Versailles was repeatedly looted by the people, the palace furnishings of furniture, frescoes, tapestries, chandeliers and furnishings were ransacked, and the palace doors and windows were smashed and dismantled. 1793, the palace remnants of the works of art and furniture were all transported to the Louvre. Versailles lay in ruins for 40 years until 1833, when King Louis-Philippe of Orléans ordered the restoration of the palace and its conversion into a history museum.
Architectural features
The Palace of Versailles is a classical style building, the fa?ade is a standard classical three-section treatment, that is, the fa?ade is divided into vertical and horizontal three sections, the building is symmetrical, the shape of the outline is neat, solemn and majestic, known as the representative of rational beauty. Its interior decoration is dominated by Baroque style, a few halls for the Rococo style.
The architectural style of the Palace of Versailles aroused the envy of the monarchs of Russia, Austria and other countries to emulate. The Summer Palace built by Peter I in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, the Meiquan Palace built by Maria Theresia in Vienna, the Carefree Palace built by Frederick II and Frederick William II in Potsdam, and the Schloss Herrenchiemsee built by Ludwig II, King of Bavaria, were all modeled after the palace and gardens of Versailles.
But while Versailles was overly ambitious and luxurious, it was inconveniently functional for living. There was not a single toilet or washroom in the palace, and even the dauphin had to defecate in the fireplace of his bedroom. Louis XV was extremely disgusted with the bedchamber, which he considered spacious and luxurious, but not warm.
If the appearance of the Palace of Versailles, give a person a grand, magnificent feeling, then its interior furnishings and decor more rich in artistic charm. More than 500 large halls and small halls are brilliant, luxurious and extraordinary. The interior walls are decorated with carvings, huge oil paintings and tapestries, with 17th and 18th century furniture of superb modeling and exquisite craftsmanship. The palace is also displayed from all over the world precious works of art, including China's ancient fine porcelain. In front of the main palace is a unique style of " French-style " garden. Trees and plants in the garden are unique, so that after watching, beautiful.
Interior decoration is extremely luxurious and opulent is a major feature of the Palace of Versailles. Marble courtyard and the Hall of Mirrors is one of the two most prominent, in addition to the above mentioned interior decoration, the sun is also commonly used topic, because the sun is the symbol of Louis XIV. Sometimes it also appeared on the walls together with weapons and armor. In addition to decorating interiors with human figures, animal figures such as lions, eagles and unicorns were also used to decorate interiors. Some of them are also cast into staircase railings with metal, and some of the metal fittings are also gilded with various colors of marble, which makes them look very splendid. Ceiling in addition to the semi-circular arch like the Hall of Mirrors, there are flat, hemispherical dome, in addition to the top of the painting there are also bas-reliefs. Another feature of the Palace of Versailles is a large garden on the west side of the complex, which is one of the world-famous large gardens. It has a very different style from the Chinese gardens and represents a school of thought in the art of gardening that has had a great influence on the European region. Almost all European royal gardens have followed its design ideas over the centuries. The great garden of Versailles is completely man-made, extremely concerned about symmetry and geometric graphic. Versailles strict rules of garden design, is the French architectural rule of the heyday of cultural classicism produced by the results. Therefore, it can be said that the Palace of Versailles is a monument to the period of French feudal rule, in terms of content, it is not only the emperor's palace, but also the administrative center of the country, or the specific embodiment of the French society at that time, political views, way of life. It was the first time in Europe since the ancient Roman Empire that it had demonstrated the power of an autocratic regime capable of concentrating such enormous human and material resources. At that time, Louis XIV in order to build it, *** administration used more than 30,000 workers and architects, engineers, technicians, in addition to solving the complex technical problems arising from the construction of large-scale complexes, but also to solve the problem of water diversion, fountains, roads and other aspects of the problem. It can be seen that the success of the Palace of Versailles is a strong proof of the progress of the French economy and technology at that time and the wisdom of the working people.
Political activities
In order to eliminate the danger of secession and rebellion of the powerful French local nobles (such as the family of the Prince of Condé), after the completion of the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV was about to centralize the main nobles of the whole country to reside in the Palace of Versailles. From 1682 to 1789, France's political and diplomatic decisions were made at Versailles, which became the de facto capital of France.
In order to show the majesty of the king, Louis XIV and Louis XV often held spectacular ceremonies, parties, balls, hunts and other entertainments in the palace. 1751 Louis XV celebrated the birth of his eldest grandson, the Duc de Bourgogne, with a fireworks display that consumed 660,000 livres, and in 1770 Louis XV's wedding to the Dauphin cost 9 million livres. At its peak - late Louis XV and early Louis XVI - the cost of maintaining the court of Versailles accounted for a quarter of France's annual income. But these activities paid off: the powerful, disaffected and rebellious French aristocracy before Louis XIV's accession to the throne had been corrupted by the extravagance of court life by the time of Louis XIV, and were even proud to be invited to live in the palace, and were eager to imitate the king and the court's etiquette and attire, fearing that they would lose the king's favor.
On June 20, 1789, after the venue of the French National Convention was closed, representatives of the third class in the Convention and some lower monks and radical nobles went to the indoor tennis court at Versailles to gather and sign the famous "Declaration of the Tennis Courts," taking an oath to say that if they failed to produce a written constitution for France, they would never be dissolved.
In 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, Versailles was occupied by Prussian troops, and on January 18, 1871, King Wilhelm I of Prussia was crowned Emperor of the German Empire in the Hall of Mirrors, and on February 26 of the same year, he signed a preliminary peace treaty with France in Versailles. The government of Thiers, which stayed at Versailles thereafter, planned the suppression of the Paris Commune.
After the end of the First World War, the Allied Powers signed the Peace of Versailles with Germany in the Hall of Mirrors on June 28, 1919, and the Peace of Trianon with the Kingdom of Hungary on June 4, 1920, in the Grand Trianon. 1937, the Palace of Versailles was opened to the public as a history museum. The President and Prime Minister of France organized many foreign events, international conferences and signed international treaties in the palace and gardens.
Famous Views
Floor plan of the Palace of Versailles in 1789The main views of the Palace of Versailles are centered on the second floor of the main building and in the gardens.
Marble Courtyard: the front entrance to the Chateau de Versailles is a small square enclosed on three sides. The central building was originally the hunting palace of Louis XIII, Louis XIV remodeled, retaining the original red brick walls, and adding marble sculptures and gilded decorations. The floor of the courtyard is decorated with red marble. The first floor of the courtyard is Marie-Antoinette's private room and salon, and the second floor is the king's bedchamber.
Salon d'Hercule: Located in the north-east corner of the second floor of the main building at the junction with the north wing, it connects the middle palace with the north wing and the King's Chapel. In the era of Louis XIV, this was the Chapel of the King's Household, which was later transformed into the King's Reception Hall.
Harvest Hall (Salon de l'Abondance): west of the Hall of Hercules, north of the garden's Ladonna fountain. In front of the staircase, the Hall of the Harvest for the main entrance to the Palace to see the King's ceremonial route. Inside the hall are stored the medals of the kings and treasures collection.
Venus Hall: also known as Venus Hall. In the west of the Harvest Hall. In the era of Louis XIV, the hall had a billiard table and a complete set of furniture cast in sterling silver and engraved with fine workmanship. The furniture was later melted down and silver coins were minted to cover the expenses of the War of the Spanish Succession.
Diana Hall: also known as the Hall of the Moon, located on the north side of the second floor of the main building, west of the Venus Hall, the walls are decorated with a variety of fine porcelain.
Mars Hall: also known as the God of War or Mars Hall, west of Diana Hall. On the ceiling there is Alderaan's painting "the god of war driving wolves harnessed chariot". Inside the hall, there are marble platforms at the ends of the fireplaces, which were once furnished with billiard tables. The kings of the Bourbon dynasty often held court music recitals or gambling card parties here.
Mercury Hall: also known as the Mercury Hall or the Royal Bed Hall, west of the Hall of Mars. The hall has a large bed surrounded by silver railings and a large sterling silver closet. The walls are covered with gold and silver brocade. Louis XIV's youngest son, the Duke of Anjou, who later became King Philip V of Spain, lived here.
The Apollo Room, also known as the Hall of the Sun, was the throne room of the French kings. Layout is extremely luxurious and beautiful, the ceiling has a gilded carved flowers in shallow relief, the walls for the crimson gold and silver silk edged velvet, the center for the sterling silver casting of the throne, 2.6 meters high, located in crimson Persian carpets on top of the high platform. As Louis XIV was the self-proclaimed "Sun King", the main halls of Versailles are named after the planets that surround the sun. In contrast to the location of the halls on the second floor, on the north side of the first floor were the suites of the French princesses.
War Hall (Salon de la Guerre): in the north-west corner of the main building, west of the Apollo Hall, north and west facing the gardens, the south side leads to the Hall of Mirrors. The decoration of the hall was completed by Mensa and Le Brun, mainly for the oil paintings reflecting the achievements of Louis XIV conquered Spain, Germany, Netherland and so on. Above the gilded fireplace is a relief of Louis XIV on horseback.
Mirror Hall (Galerie des glaces): also known as the Hall of Mirrors, south of the War Room, west of the garden. The most famous hall in Versailles, converted from the open gallery. Length of 76 meters, 13 meters high, 10.5 meters wide, one side is facing the garden of 17 huge floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the other side is composed of more than 400 pieces of mirrors huge mirror. The floor of the hall is carved in fine wood, the walls are decorated with mauve and white marble veneers, and the columns are green marble. The column heads, feet and parapets are gilded in brass, and the decorative motifs are based on the theme of the sun with its wings spread out, indicating the veneration of Louis XIV. The ceiling is decorated with 24 huge Bohemian crystal chandeliers and paintings celebrating the virtues of the Sun King. In the center of the east side of the hall are the four doors leading to the King's bedchamber. During the time of Louis XIV, the Hall of Mirrors was also decorated with furniture in sterling silver, as well as floral and wooden pots and pans, and grand masquerade balls were often held here.
Salon de la Paix: In the southwest corner of the main building, south of the Hall of Mirrors, is a party hall, decorated in a similar style to the Hall of Mirrors, but the theme of the painting on the fireplace is "Louis XV created peace". The hall is decorated with Roman emperors, lions, the emblems of France and the Kingdom of Navarre as the theme.
The King's Suite: located on the east side of the main building, in the old hunting lodge of Louis XIII. In the center is the King's Bedroom, with its gold and red brocade king-size bed and embroidered canopy, surrounded by a gilded parapet, and on the ceiling is a huge bas-relief titled "The Guardian King of France Sleeps in Peace". This is the center of political activity in Versailles, where the rituals of rising, morning hajj, evening hajj and greetings are held. The north side of the bedchamber is a small meeting room, the south side is the Bull's-eye Hall, named after the skylight in the shape of a bull's-eye above the door leading to the King's bedchamber, which is the place where princes, nobles and ministers wait for an audience. To the east of the Bull's-eye Hall is the Great Antechamber and the Guard Room.
The Queen's Suite: located in the south side of the main building, including the Queen's Bedroom, the Queen's Private Room, the Queen's Antechamber, the Queen's Retirement Room, the Queen's Guard Room and other seven rooms. Downstairs of the Queen's Suite is the Crown Prince Suite (Apartment du Dauphin).
Theater: built by order of Louis XV, it is located in the north wing. The designer was Ange Jacques Gabriel. 26 meters deep and 22 meters wide, it could seat 750 spectators and required more than 3,000 candles to illuminate it. The last performance was held on October 2, 1789, to entertain the Flemish Guard, recruited by Louis XVI to protect the palace, and in 1871, during the Commune of Paris, the National Assembly of the government of Versailles was held here.
Church: at the southern end of the north wing, built in 1700, Louis XIV said the church was dedicated to St. Louis. Louis XIV built the Palace of Versailles to outshine the Spanish Escorial (a complex of monasteries and palaces) in terms of grandeur, but did not place the church on the main axis, reflecting the fact that in Louis XIV's time in France, the power of the king had taken precedence over that of the gods. Louis XV, Dauphin Louis (crown prince of Louis XV), Louis XVI, the Count of Provence (Louis XVIII) and the Count of Artois (Charles X) were all married in this church.
The War Gallery: in the South Wing complex. Once the residence of princes and princelings. Numerous paintings on war themes are on display, such as Napoleon Over the Alps, The Great Victory of Poitiers, The Battle of Rivoli, and The Entry of Henry IV into Paris.
Gardens: the existing area of 100 hectares, centered on the fountain of Neptune, the north of the main building has a fountain of Ladonna, the south of the main building has an orangery and greenhouse. The gardens contain 1,400 fountains, as well as a 1.6-kilometer-long cross-shaped artificial Grand Canal. During the reign of Louis XIV, the canal was used to arrange sailing ships for naval shows or gondolas and boatmen to imitate the Venetian canal scenery. The gardens also contain forests, flower paths, greenhouses, colonnades, temples, villages, zoos and numerous scattered marble statues.
The Grand Trianon: Built in 1687 by Louis XIV for his mistress, Madame de Maintenon, it has only one floor and a relatively plain interior. Under Louis XIV, the king sometimes stayed here when he tired of the luxury of Versailles, and Napoleon often stayed here from 1805 to 1815.
The Petit Trianon: Louis XV built it for his queen. A typical classical style building, the main rooms are the Grand Salon, the Petit Salon, the Drawing Room, the Bedroom and the Dressing Room. Nearby is the Swiss farmhouse built by Louis XVI for Queen Marie-Antoinette, with thatched cottages, mills and sheepfolds, where the Queen often wore make-up as a countryside shepherdess.
The Palace of Versailles (Versailles) is located 18 kilometers southwest of Paris, Versailles, world-famous, is the treasure trove of human art in a brilliant pearl.
The Palace of Versailles was originally a small village, is Louis XIII in 1624 in the woods of Versailles built hunting palace. 1661, by Louis XIV transformed into a luxury palace. It was designed by the famous architects Le Vau Haldouin and Le N?tre. The palace was fully completed in 1689 and has a history of more than 300 years. The whole palace covers an area of 1.11 million square meters. The palace is magnificent, the layout is tight, coordinated. The main palace towards the east and west, the two ends and the South Palace and the North Palace connected, forming a symmetrical geometric pattern. Palace roof building abandoned the Baroque dome and the traditional French architectural style with a spire, the use of a flat roof form, appearing upright and majestic. The upper end of the outer wall of the palace, standing marble figures statues, beautifully modeled, lifelike.
The appearance of the Palace of Versailles is magnificent, spectacular, the interior furnishings and decoration is more rich in artistic charm. more than 500 halls and small halls everywhere brilliant, luxurious. Interior decoration to carving, huge paintings and tapestries, with 17th and 18th century modeling superb, exquisite furniture. The palace is also displayed from all over the world precious works of art, including the ancient Chinese porcelain Jinglong traveled across the ocean.
In front of the main palace is a unique style of French-style garden. Nearby are two pools of blue waves, along the pool and molded bronze sculptures, beautiful.
In 1789, when Louis XVI was in power, Versailles Palace of opulence, luxury and luxury, to reach the peak of the extreme, the point of no return. Finally aroused the indignation of the people, during the Revolution, Versailles was almost deserted. Until 1837, Louis Philippe was repaired, it was changed to the Museum of the History of France, exhibiting fine arts, sculpture and many other works of art.
In the second half of the 19th century, Versailles became the political center of the world's attention, and in 1870 the Prussian army occupied Versailles. The following year, the Kaiser held his coronation here. The end of the First World War.
Today's Palace of Versailles is a world-famous tourist attraction, tourists from all over the world, the number of visitors each year up to more than 2 million north and south of the Palace and the Palace of the ground floor of the place Louis Philippe has been changed into a museum, with a large number of valuable portraits, sculptures, large historical paintings and other art treasures. Palace of Versailles in addition to visits, the President of France and other leaders are often in this meeting or banquet with heads of state and diplomatic envoys.