The palace of Versailles near Paris

The palace of Versailles near Paris
King Louis the 14th of France, the builder of the Invalides military hospital in Paris, decided in 1668 to build a new palace, the palace of Versailles outside Paris. The objective was to settle at a distance from Paris rebellious inhabitants and closer to the hunting forests, West of Paris. It was also to materialize his new absolute power as king of France.	The palace of Versailles

The park of the palace of Versailles	The largest in Europe, the palace of Versailles housed 20 000 nobles. It was the center of the French monarchy until the 1789 revolution which overthrew King Louis the 16th. Its facade on the park (above), 70 meters long hall of mirrors (below), the king and queen luxurious apartments and the Le Notre French style park (left) owe the palace of Versailles a universal reputation as the perfect incarnation of French classicism.

The palace of Versailles was copied many times by monarchs throughout Europe during the 18th century. Versailles can be reached in half an hour by train from Paris. We recommend you the "Grandes Eaux Musicales", a fountain and music show in the marvellous setting of the park. A good way to discover Versailles is on a coach tour. More information on the palace of Versailles.	The hall of mirrors in the palace of Versailles
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Š 01/06/97 - 10/05/08 - Paris Digest Ž , the Paris guide for tourism and travel