Palace of Versailles facts

Palace of Versailles facts: history

In 1624, Louis XIII, King of France, commissioned a hunting lodge in the village of Versailles near Paris. In 1661, his son, Louis XIV, also named Sun King, started the design of Versailles Gardens.

Between 1668 and 1690, Architects Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin Mansard, his successor, enlarged and embellished the Palace of Versailles.

Gardener Andre Le Notre laid out the french style park. Charles Le Brun took care of the many paintings and sculptures in the park.

In 1685, 36 000 people and 6 000 horses were working on the construction of the 500 meters long Palace, which took altogether 50 years.

The Palace of Versailles, including the famous Hall of Mirrors, has been imitated many times by monarchs in Europe during the 18th century.

Versailles facts: the Trianons

Louis XIV commissionned Grand Trianon in 1687 for his mistress, Madame de Montespan. Louis XV, Louis XIV's successor, commissionned Petit Trianon in 1762. His successor, Louis XVI, gave it to his wife Marie Antoinette, Princess of Austria.

The King and the Court abruptly left Versailles on October 6th 1789 at the outset of the French Revolution. That was the end of royal Versailles.

Versailles facts: visits

The Palace is open all days except Mondays from 9am to 5.30pm (6.30pm April 1st to September 30th). Versailles Park is open daily from 8am to at least 6pm with free of charge access. Web site.

From Paris, take the train at Gare Saint-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite station or at Montparnasse to Versailles Chantier station (Count half an hour from Paris plus twenty minutes walk).

A simple and quick way to discover the Palace of Versailles and its park is on a tour from Paris.