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The Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles. Absolutism & Opulence. The Palace Begins.

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The Palace of Versailles

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  1. The Palace of Versailles Absolutism & Opulence

  2. The Palace Begins • We have heard of home renovations. One of the largest home renovations in history took place at a hunting lodge near the village of Versailles. Here, the French monarch Louis XIV converted the hunting camp into the most impressive palace on the European continent.

  3. The Sun King’s Vision • Louis wanted a home for his personal life and for his government away from the distractions of Paris, and he selected the location of Versailles, approximately 15 kilometers from the capital. • The palace and gardens of Versailles – built in four separate stages and completed in 1682 – became the epicenter of French government and cultural life and influenced imitations across Europe.

  4. Versailles as Symbol • Versailles became a symbol of absolute monarchy. Louis XIV desired to completely control the government of his country and he planned to disarm the power of the nobles of France. • Louis established his royal court at Versailles and he made it so luxurious and attractive that the nobility gathered there – as if attracted by honey. • As one commentator noted, “the appetite to be at Versailles ranks only behind the appetites for food and sex”.

  5. Time in Versailles • In this “Hollywood of the 17th century”, Louis encouraged the nobility to busy themselves with gossip, hunting, affairs of the heart, ceremonial tasks, and elaborate court etiquette. Nobles vied for ceremonial, but highly paid and highly respected, offices such as Master of the Royal Tennis Courts and Master of the Royal Clocks. The king’s rising in the morning and retiring at night were accompanied by elaborate rituals performed by eager and privileged nobility.

  6. Versailles as a Prison • By imprisoning the French nobles in this “golden cage”, Louis prevented them from exercising their regional power (as they had done in previous centuries). He kept them from countering his efforts to centralize the government in an absolute monarchy.

  7. Hall of Mirrors • One of the prominent features of the palace is the Hall of Mirrors located on the first floor. It contained 17 arcaded mirrors of unprecedented size for the time – and the mirrors match windows on the opposite wall that overlook the back garden.

  8. Royal Chapel • The Chapel Royal l where Louis attended daily mass is another impressive architectural accomplishment in the palace. Louis tried to unite his country under the Roman Catholic faith. In 1685, he revoked the Edict of Nantes which had given equal rights to the Huguenots in France.

  9. Royal Avenue • From his back terrace, Louis could survey the Royal Avenue or Green Carpet that descended to the massive Grand Canal - upon which one could sail a gondola on the way to a sub-palace or the royal hunting grounds.

  10. Apollo’s Statue • At the head of the Grand Canal, contained in a fountain, is a magnificent statue of the Greek god Apollo’s chariot emerging from the waves at dawn – a symbol of the god-like powers of Louis XIV who was known as the “Sun King”.

  11. Enjoying Oranges • Louis XIV loved oranges, and oranges must be produced for an ultra king – even in a northern climate. Pictured here is the Orangery of Versailles’ south garden. The boxed plants were moved to the green house when the weather turned cold.

  12. More Fountains • Louis XIV loved water and fountains. Water gardens embroider the grounds, and fountains further embellish the garden pools.

  13. Fountains in Operation • At Marly, fourteen vast paddlewheels driven by the current of the Seine River drove water into a 200-kilometre network of channels, aqueducts, reservoirs, and pumps that powered the series of Versailles fountains. This marvel of seventeeth century hydraulic engineering and a small army of workers made certain that the fountains gushed whenever Louis was present at Versailles.

  14. Grand Trainon • The Grand Trainon was a sub-palace built by Louis XIV on the grounds off the north wing of the Grand Canal. It provided the king with a retreat from the overcrowding and bustle of the main chateau.

  15. Versailles as Trendsetter • From the start, Versailles was conceived as a showcase of French arts and craftsmanship – especially those from the royal workshops of the Paris Globelins manufacturing. French style in architecture came to dominate European culture.

  16. Gardens at Versailles • The Versailles gardens came to represent the eigheenth century belief in human reason dominating nature. Order, symmetry, and mathematical precision were imposed upon nature in the gardens. The growth of oranges in a northern climate is another manifestation of human reason triumphant. These aspects of Versailles can be cited as examples of the eighteenth century being called the Age of Reason.

  17. Today • Today, Versailles is France’s number one tourist attraction

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