Versailles

The Palace of Versailles, Château de Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. Wikipedia

When the château was built, Versailles was a small village dating from the 11th century.

It is just 30 minutes away, some 20 kilometres (12 miles) southwest of the centre of the French capital (point zero at square in front of Notre Dame)

Versailles was the seat of political power in the Kingdom of France from 1682, when King Louis XIV moved the royal court from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789, within three months after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as a symbol of the system of absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.

I have read about Versailles from the stories, novels, articles and history books about the French Revolution,  King Louis XIV and Queen Marie Antoinette (whose’s remarks “Why do’t they eat cakes if they do not have bread?” is one of the most famous Quotes of all times), so when I planned my visit to Paris, I made sure Versailles is on my iteniary.

We went there with a half day tour although one can go there by train.

After failing to get off near the Tour company office and having taken a mercedes limousine taxi, we went to Versailles on a bus full of tourists from all over the world, but we were the only ones from SE Asia.

King Louis XIV

Louis XIV, known as Louis the Great or the Sun King, was a monarch of the House of Bourbon who reigned as King of France and Navarre from 1643 until his death in 1715. Wikipedia

Versailles Palace

Statute inside the palace grounds

The Versailles garden is the most beautiful garden I have been to.

 

The sculpture of Louis XIV

 

The wall murals of the palace are magnificent.

 

So too are those on the ceilings.

 

 

Ceiling

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The King’s reception room

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The Royal Bedchamber

The Hall of Mirrors!

Mirrors must be scarce and expensive at the time that mirrors were used to decorate the room.

Hall of mirrors

The Hall of Mirrors

Louis XIV on horseback

 

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Bas reliefs

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Statutes

And paintings on the wall!

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Royal staircase

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Statute on the gate post

 

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We all gathered near this post and returned to Paris where we had Chinese lunch so that we can have rice.

 

 

 

Tags: Europe, infotainment, Travel