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Visit the former residence of the French kings and discover its artworks, gardens, shows and events. Learn about the history and culture of Versailles through podcasts, mobile app and online collections.
- Plan Your Visit
To make the most of your visit at Versailles, plan to spend...
- Discover
Discover the estate. The Palace of Versailles, whose origins...
- What's On
Containing over 60,000 works, the collections of the Palace...
- Calendar
The Palace of Versailles is hosting numerous operas,...
- The collections
Once a palace, now a museum. Containing over 60,000 works,...
- Plan Your Visit
The Palace of Versailles (/ v ɛər ˈ s aɪ, v ɜːr ˈ s aɪ / vair-SY, vur-SY; French: château de Versailles [ʃɑto d(ə) vɛʁsɑj] ⓘ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about 19 kilometers (12 mi) west of Paris, France.
- 1661
- Versailles, France
- Government of France
Explore the former royal residence of Louis XIII and Louis XIV, now a World Heritage site and a museum of the history of France. Discover the rooms, the gardens, the art and the events of the Palace of Versailles, from the 17th to the 19th century.
- Overview
- The palace
Palace of Versailles, former French royal residence and centre of government, now a national landmark. It is located in the city of Versailles, Yvelines département, Île-de-France région, northern France, 10 miles (16 km) west-southwest of Paris. As the centre of the French court, Versailles was one of the grandest theatres of European absolutism.
The original residence was primarily a hunting lodge and private retreat for Louis XIII (reigned 1610–43) and his family. In 1624 the king entrusted Jacques Lemercier with the construction of a château on the site. Its walls are preserved today as the exterior facade overlooking the Marble Court.
Under the guidance of Louis XIV (reigned 1643–1715), the residence was transformed (1661–1710) into an immense and extravagant complex surrounded by stylized French and English gardens. Every detail of its construction was intended to glorify the king. The additions were designed by such renowned architects as Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Robert de Cotte, and Louis Le Vau. Charles Le Brun oversaw the interior decoration. Landscape artist André Le Nôtre created symmetrical French gardens that included ornate fountains with “magically” still water, expressing the power of humanity—and, specifically, the king—over nature.
To the east of the palace is the Place d’Armes, a wide plaza that in the 21st century served mainly as a parking lot to accommodate the thousands of tourists who visited Versailles each day. In the centre of the Place d’Armes, facing the Avenue de Paris, is a bronze equestrian statue of Louis XIV. Originally located at the apex of the Court of Honour, the statue was relocated to the Place d’Armes in 2009 after an extensive restoration. To the west is the Gate of Honour, a gilded iron gate and stone balustrade that marks the main entrance to the palace complex. Beyond that lies the broad expanse of the Court of Honour, bounded on the north and south by the Ministers’ Wings, outbuildings constructed in the 1680s to house the king’s secretaries of state.
Britannica Quiz
World Heritage Sites in France Quiz
The Royal Gate, an elaborate gold leaf gate, separates the Court of Honour from the Royal Court at the location where the Louis XIV statue once stood. Unveiled in 2008, the Royal Gate partially re-creates a gate that was designed by Hardouin-Mansart in the 1680s and was destroyed during the French Revolution. Some art historians criticized the Royal Gate as a modern interpretation of the original rather than a true restoration, but it served an undeniably valuable role in directing visitor traffic. Flanking the Royal Court to the south is the Dufour Pavilion, while the Gabriel Pavilion lies to the north. Both areas were extensively remodeled in the 21st century to serve as visitor reception centres. Beyond the Royal Court is the Marble Court, so named for the distinctive black and white marble tiles that adorn the terrace floor. Dozens of marble busts, depicting Roman deities and emperors, adorn the facades overlooking the court, and the central buildings of the palace complex rise around it.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Learn how to prepare your visit to the Palace of Versailles, the former royal residence of Louis XIV and Marie-Antoinette. Find out where to buy a ticket, where to enter, where to go, and how to book a guided tour.
