History of the Palace of Versailles facts for kids
The Palace of Versailles is a magnificent royal château located in Versailles, Yvelines, France. When it was first built, Versailles was a quiet country village. Today, it is a bustling suburb just 20 kilometers southwest of Paris. The Palace of Versailles became the heart of French political power in 1682. This was when King Louis XIV moved his court from Paris. It remained the royal family's home until October 1789, when the French Revolution began. Versailles is famous not just as a beautiful building, but also as a powerful symbol of the French kings' rule before the Revolution.
Contents
- Discovering the Palace of Versailles
- Versailles During the French Revolution
- Versailles in Later French History
- Protecting and Restoring Versailles
- Versailles Today
- Images for kids
Discovering the Palace of Versailles
Early History of Versailles
The name Versailles first appeared in a document from before 1038. It mentioned a local lord named Hugo de Versailliis. Back then, Versailles was a small village with a castle and a church. It was located on an important road, which helped it grow. However, the village faced tough times. The Plague and the Hundred Years' War caused much destruction. The population also dropped significantly. In 1575, a man named Albert de Gondi bought the land of Versailles. He was an important figure in the court of King Henry II.
The Palace Under Louis XIII
In the early 1600s, the Gondi family invited King Louis XIII to hunt in the forests around Versailles. The king loved the area. In 1624, he ordered a small hunting lodge to be built there. This lodge was designed by Philibert Le Roy. It was made of stone and red brick with a slate roof. Eight years later, King Louis XIII bought the land of Versailles from the Gondi family. He then started to make the hunting lodge bigger.
A map from 1652 shows the lodge's design. It had a main building with wings on the sides. There were towers at each corner and a moat around it. Gardens with a fountain and planted areas were on the western side. Young Louis XIV often played and hunted here. This original lodge later became the central part of the much larger palace.
Louis XIV: Building a Grand Royal Home
King Louis XIV, son of Louis XIII, was very interested in Versailles. He decided to transform his father's hunting lodge into one of the world's largest palaces. Starting in 1661, a team of talented artists and architects began this huge project. Louis Le Vau was the main architect, André Le Nôtre designed the amazing gardens, and Charles Le Brun was the chief painter and decorator.
Louis XIV wanted Versailles to be the new center of his royal court. After some peace treaties in 1678, he slowly moved his court there. By May 6, 1682, Versailles was officially the seat of the French government.
By moving his court, Louis XIV wanted to have more control over the powerful noble families. He also wanted to be further away from the busy city of Paris. Versailles became the heart of all power in France. It housed government offices and thousands of nobles and their staff. The king made it a rule that important nobles had to spend time at Versailles each year. This kept them close to him and prevented them from gaining too much power in their own regions.
Life at Versailles was very formal and strict. The king created many ceremonies, like the Lever, which was his elaborate morning routine. These customs were soon copied by other royal courts across Europe. The palace became a vibrant hub for important social events, entertainment, and hunting.
The expansion of Versailles showed Louis XIV's absolute power. After his chief minister died in 1661, Louis declared he would rule entirely on his own. He wanted his advisors and regional leaders nearby to prevent any challenges to his authority. He hired the best artists and builders for his projects, including those who had worked on another grand château. The construction of Versailles happened in four main stages, often linked to the wars Louis XIV was fighting.
First Major Building Project (1664–1668)
The first major building project at Versailles took place from 1664 to 1668. It began with a grand festival called The Pleasures of the Enchanted Island in May 1664. This week-long celebration was officially to honor the queens of France. It was a spectacular event with plays, ballets, and fireworks. The palace and gardens were changed to host 600 important guests for this huge party. This celebration also came before a war Louis XIV fought against Spain.
Second Major Building Project (1669–1672)
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The second building project (1669–1672) started after a peace treaty ended a war. During this time, the château began to look more like it does today. The most important change was architect Le Vau's "envelope" around Louis XIII's old hunting lodge. This new structure, sometimes called the château neuf (new château), surrounded the old lodge on three sides.
Louis XIV had considered tearing down his father's lodge completely. However, he decided to keep it, and the plans were adjusted. The new building provided grand new rooms for the King and his family. The main floor had two large apartments: one for the King and one for the Queen. The King's apartment was on the north side, and the Queen's was on the south.
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The western side of the new building featured a large terrace. This terrace was later enclosed to create the famous Hall of Mirrors. The ground floor included a special bath apartment with hot and cold running water. The King's brother and sister-in-law also had apartments on this floor. The upper floor had private rooms for the King and rooms for his children.
The King's and Queen's main apartments had a similar layout and size. This was unusual for French palaces at the time. Each room was dedicated to a celestial body and decorated with images of Greco-Roman gods. The artwork celebrated the "heroic actions of the king" through stories of ancient heroes.
Third Major Building Project (1678–1684)
With another peace treaty signed in 1678, the third building project began (1678–1684). The royal court had grown, and more space was needed for the many nobles and the King's growing family.
Under the lead architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the Palace of Versailles gained much of its current appearance during the 1680s. Le Brun continued to work on interior decorations, and Le Nôtre further designed the gardens. As a symbol of France's power, Louis XIV officially moved his court to Versailles in May 1682.
Hardouin-Mansart designed two large new wings to solve the housing problem. The South Wing, called the Aile des Princes, was built first in 1679. It was 176 yards long and housed royal princes and other aristocrats. In 1684, construction began on the North Wing for other high-ranking nobles. These two wings added 175 new living spaces. Both wings matched the style of Le Vau's earlier work, making the garden side of the palace look grand and uniform.
Many other important buildings were also constructed during this phase. These included the Grand Commun (a large dormitory), the Orangerie (a greenhouse for orange trees), the Grand Trianon (a smaller palace), and the two impressive royal stables. The Orangerie was built into a hillside, creating a long, arcaded gallery. The Grand Commun was a huge rectangular building that housed over 100 members of the King's staff.
The largest new buildings were the two stables, the Grand and Petit Ecurie, built from 1679 to 1682. They were placed prominently opposite the main palace, on either side of the main road from Paris. These were not just simple stables; they were grand, classical buildings. They could house thousands of horses and nearly 1,500 staff members. The Grand Stable kept the King's hunting horses, while the Petit Stable held his carriages.
Major parts of the King's and Queen's Grand Apartments were also changed. The King stopped living in his Grand Apartment, which was then used for state events and ceremonies. His former bedroom became a throne room. These Grand Apartments were lavishly furnished with items from the Gobelins Manufactory, showing off the best French craftsmanship. Many objects were made of solid silver, costing a huge amount of money.
For his new private apartment, Louis XIV chose rooms in the older part of the palace. These rooms were redesigned to create a grand entrance with several antechambers leading to his new bedchamber. The Queen's Grand Apartment also saw some changes. After the Queen's death in 1683, one of her rooms was turned into another antechamber for the King's apartment.
Fourth Major Building Project (1699–1710)
After a difficult war, Louis XIV began his final building project at Versailles (1699–1710). This phase focused almost entirely on building the royal chapel. It was designed by Hardouin-Mansart and completed by Robert de Cotte. In 1701, the King's apartment was further modified. This included creating the Salon de l'Œil de Bœuf and a new, larger King's Bedchamber. With the chapel finished in 1710, most construction at Versailles stopped. Building would not restart for another 21 years, during the reign of Louis XV.
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| The palace in 1668 | The palace in 1674 | The palace in 1680 |
Louis XV: New Additions and Changes
After Louis XIV died in 1715, the five-year-old King Louis XV and the court moved back to Paris. In 1717, Peter the Great, the Russian Tsar, visited Versailles. He studied the palace and gardens, using them as inspiration for his own Peterhof Palace in Russia.
When Louis XV and the court returned to Versailles in 1722, the first project was to finish the Salon d'Hercule. This room had been started during Louis XIV's last years but was left incomplete.
Louis XV made several important additions to Versailles. These included his own private apartments and apartments for his daughters and other family members. The greatest achievements of his reign were the construction of the Opera House and the charming Petit Trianon.
However, Louis XV also ordered the removal of the grand Ambassadors' Staircase. This staircase was the main entrance to the State Apartments. It was taken down to make space for apartments for his daughters. The staircase's supporting structure had also weakened over time, making its removal necessary.
The gardens mostly stayed the same as they were under Louis XIV. The most notable addition by Louis XV was the completion of the Bassin de Neptune (Neptune Fountain) between 1738 and 1741. Towards the end of his reign, Louis XV began to update the palace's courtyard facades. This project continued under Louis XVI and was finally completed in the 20th century.
Louis XVI: Gardens and Grand Plans
In 1774, soon after becoming king, Louis XVI ordered a large replanting of the garden's wooded areas. Many old trees had died over the years. Only a few changes were made to the original garden design. Some areas were altered, including the Bains d'Apollon, which was redone in a popular new style. The Labyrinth garden was also changed into the smaller Jardin de la Reine.
The French monarchy's financial problems led to neglect of the palace's upkeep. Visitors noted a mix of "magnificence and negligence." Royal architects warned that some outbuildings, like the stables, were in dangerous condition.
Despite money shortages, Louis XVI spent a lot on other royal properties. He bought and renovated the Chateau de Saint-Cloud and rebuilt parts of the Château de Compiègne. This left little money for the long-desired "Grand Project" at Versailles. This project aimed to rebuild the Paris-facing wings of the palace. In 1780, Louis XVI completed one wing and had plans for more. However, the growing debt crisis and the start of the French Revolution in 1787 stopped all these plans.
Inside the palace, the library and game room in the King's and Queen's private apartments were redecorated. These rooms, designed by Richard Mique for Marie Antoinette, are beautiful examples of the Louis XVI style. Several new floors were added to the King's private apartment, making it six stories high. Louis XVI enjoyed walking on the roof to see the views. These extra floors were meant to be temporary and were removed in the 19th century to restore the palace's original look.
Versailles During the French Revolution
On October 6, 1789, the royal family was forced to leave Versailles. They moved to the Tuileries Palace in Paris after the Women's March on Versailles. In the early years of the French Revolution, the people of Versailles largely protected the palace. In October 1790, Louis XVI ordered the palace furniture to be sent to Paris. However, the local officials protested, fearing economic ruin for the city. The king, moved by their concerns, canceled the order.
Eight months later, in June 1791, Louis XVI was arrested. The government then declared that all royal family possessions were abandoned. To protect the palace, Versailles was sealed. In 1792, it was proposed that the palace's furnishings be sold and the palace itself either sold or rented. Auctions of the furniture took place from 1793 to 1795. Only items of great artistic or historical value were saved for a planned museum.
In 1793, there was a proposal to melt down the metal statues in the gardens of Versailles to make cannons. This idea was debated but ultimately put aside. In May 1794, the government declared that Versailles and other former royal homes would not be sold. Instead, they would be preserved for the public good. The palace then became a storage place for artworks taken from churches and noble homes. These collections eventually formed part of the new museum.
Among the items found at Versailles was a collection of natural curiosities. This collection was later confiscated by the state. A man named Sieur de Fayolle, who had gathered the collection, became its guardian. He was later appointed the first director of the National Museum of Versailles in June 1794. The next year, André Dumont became an administrator for the region. He was shocked by the poor condition of the palace and gardens. He quickly took charge and gathered a team to care for the museum's collections.
One of Dumont's first appointments was Huges Lagarde, a wealthy merchant, as the museum's bibliographer in June 1795. With the palace abandoned, there were over 100 libraries containing more than 200,000 books and manuscripts. Lagarde, with his political connections, became a driving force behind Versailles as a museum. He assembled a team of curators, including Sieur de Fayolle for natural history and the painter Louis Jean-Jacques Durameau for paintings.
Despite these efforts, political changes in France during the 1790s led to more damage at Versailles. Mirrors were used to pay government debts. Draperies and upholstery were taken to recover the gold and silver in their fabric. Even though it was a museum, parts of Versailles were used to house wounded soldiers from 1799 onwards.
In 1797, the National Museum was reorganized and renamed. The grand apartments were used as galleries. They displayed important artworks, including pieces by artists seeking to join the Royal Academy. The museum, which also included the garden sculptures, became a leading collection of classic French art.
Versailles in Later French History
Napoleon and the First Empire
With the rise of Napoleon and the First Empire, Versailles's status changed. Artworks from the museum were moved to other locations, and the museum eventually closed. In 1804, Versailles was designated an imperial palace.
Napoleon himself did not live in the palace, preferring the Grand Trianon. However, apartments were prepared for Empress Marie Louise. The palace continued to house wounded soldiers. On January 3, 1805, Pope Pius VII visited the palace. He blessed the crowds gathered in the gardens from the balcony of the Hall of Mirrors.
The Bourbon Restoration and July Monarchy
During the Bourbon Restoration, there was little activity at Versailles. Some garden areas were replanted, but no major interior restorations happened. King Louis XVIII often visited the palace and walked through its empty rooms. Charles X preferred the Tuileries Palace and rarely came to Versailles.
The July Revolution of 1830 brought changes to Versailles. In 1832, it was officially made a crown property. King Louis-Philippe I chose to live at the Grand Trianon, like Napoleon. However, Louis-Philippe had a grand plan for Versailles.
In 1833, Louis-Philippe proposed creating a museum dedicated to "all the glories of France." This included his own royal family and the 1830 Revolution. For the next ten years, under the direction of Frédéric Nepveu and Pierre-François-Léonard Fontaine, the château underwent significant changes. The museum officially opened on June 10, 1837. It was one of the most ambitious and costly projects of Louis-Philippe's reign.
The South Wing was transformed into the Galerie des Batailles (Hall of Battles). This meant demolishing many apartments that had belonged to royal princes. The Hall of Battles was designed to celebrate French military history from ancient times to the early 1800s. While some paintings were not top quality, others, like the Battle of Taillebourg by Eugène Delacroix, were masterpieces. Part of the North Wing became the Salle des Croisades, a room honoring famous knights of the Crusades. The apartments of the dauphin and dauphine were turned into portrait galleries. Some original wood paneling was removed and stored or sold. During the Prussian occupation in 1871, some stored paneling was burned for firewood.
Second Empire and the Third Republic
During the Second Empire, the museum at Versailles remained mostly the same. The palace hosted several state events, including a visit by Queen Victoria.
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Versailles was the site of key events during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) and the birth of the French Third Republic. During the war, German troops occupied Versailles, making it their headquarters. The Hall of Mirrors and ground floor galleries became a hospital for injured German soldiers. On January 18, 1871, Wilhelm I was declared German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors. This event, held in a room celebrating Louis XIV's victories against Germans, was deeply humiliating for the French.
When the Paris Commune uprising happened in March 1871, the new National Assembly and its leader, Adolphe Thiers, moved from Paris to Versailles. Deputies slept in the Hall of Mirrors and held meetings in the Royal Opera House. They burned stored wood paneling for warmth.
After the Commune was put down, the Versailles Opera House remained the seat of the National Assembly until 1875. Then, it was decided that the Senate would stay in the Opera, and a new assembly room would be built for the National Assembly. This new room, called the Assemblée nationale, was inaugurated in March 1876. It hosted the National Assembly until they returned to Paris in 1879. The Senate also returned to Paris that same year. Until 1958, every President of France was elected in the Assemblée nationale auditorium at Versailles.
Protecting and Restoring Versailles
Pierre de Nolhac's Vision
Pierre de Nolhac became curator of the Versailles museum in 1892. He wanted to restore the palace to its appearance before the Revolution. He also aimed to create historical galleries organized scientifically, unlike Louis-Philippe's approach. To do this, Nolhac removed some rooms and artworks, giving the rooms a more historical feel. For example, he removed a room filled with images of French kings. Nolhac's changes brought new attention to the castle. Important people, including royalty, came to see the developments. He also worked to attract foreign visitors and donors. An American newspaper owner, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., donated 25,000 francs for restoring 18th-century rooms. These private donations led to the creation of the Friends of Versailles group in 1907.
Help from John D. Rockefeller
Pierre de Nolhac retired in 1920, and André Pératé took over as curator. By the early 1920s, years of neglect had severely damaged the palace and gardens. With France's financial struggles after World War I, outside help became crucial. In 1924, American oil millionaire John D. Rockefeller was moved by articles describing Versailles's poor condition. He wrote to the French President, Raymond Poincaré, offering financial support. Between 1925 and 1928, the Rockefeller Foundation donated over $2 million (about $30 million in 2014) for restoration. This money helped repair the palace roof, replacing old slate with more durable lead. Masonry and exterior woodwork were also repaired. The Orangerie, the Théâtre de la Reine, and other garden areas were restored.
Rockefeller helped decide how the money was used by setting up a Franco-American Committee. This committee had the final say on the restoration plans. Rockefeller's generosity also encouraged the French government to increase its own funding for Versailles.
Gérald Van der Kemp's Efforts
Under Gérald Van der Kemp, chief conservator from 1952 to 1980, Versailles saw some of its most ambitious restoration projects. These included the Opera House (finished in 1957), the Grand Trianon (1965), the Queen's Bedchamber (1975), and the King's Bedchamber and Hall of Mirrors (1980). During this time, the ground floor of the North Wing was turned into a gallery of French history. A new policy was also established to buy back as much of the original furniture and artwork as possible that had been sold during the Revolution.
Versailles Today
With ongoing restoration projects, the Fifth Republic has actively promoted Versailles as a top tourist attraction. The palace still serves political purposes. Heads of state are hosted in the Hall of Mirrors. The Senate and National Assembly meet in congress at Versailles to change the French Constitution. This tradition began with the 1875 Constitution. The Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles was created in 1995 to manage the site.
In 2008-2009, the palace hosted a Jeff Koons art exhibition. Jeff Koons hoped his modern art would create an exciting interaction with Versailles's historic architecture. Curators described it as a unique meeting between heritage and contemporary works.
The bronze equestrian statue of Louis XIV, created by Pierre Cartellier and Louis Petitot and finished in 1836, was restored in 2009. On April 27, 2009, the statue was moved from the main courtyard to outside the gates on the Place d'Armes.
Images for kids
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The main construction of Versailles took place in four campaigns between 1664 and 1710
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Palace of Versailles, the building's evolution
