The country in which the Versailles palace complex is located. Versailles and the Palace of Versailles

The stunning palace in the suburbs of Paris has become a symbol of the absolute monarchy and luxury of the last French kings.

He made such a strong impression on his contemporaries that many rulers of other states ordered their architects to create something similar for them.

Although all visitors to Versailles associate this palace primarily with the personality of the legendary Louis XIV, the merits of this town were appreciated by the grandfather of the Sun King, King Henry IV, who loved to hunt in the local forests. Henry's son and heir, Louis XIII, ordered the construction of a small hunting pavilion there in 1623. In the early 1630s, the king bought the territory adjacent to his possessions from the Gondi family and the Archbishop of Paris, and ordered Philibert Leroy a new, more representative building.

The Palace of Louis XIII was completed in 1634. It was a rectangular two-story building with two wings perpendicular to the main building.

In the central part there was a royal bedroom, surrounded by reception halls. Fragments of this layout can be seen in the building of the palace that exists today: the facades around the so-called Marble Court (Cour de Marbre) differ from all others by facing in dark red brick, contrasting with light architectural details - window frames, cornices and decorative elements of cream sandstone.

Favorite residence of Louis XIV

When his father died in 1643, Louis XIV was barely four years old, and he often changed places of residence. Officially, the Louvre remained the main royal residence, but the young king did not like Paris. Every year, he and his court left the capital for several months and lived in the castles of Vincennes, Fontainebleau, and Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

He first visited Versailles only in 1651, and since then this place became his favorite residence. Soon the king decided to rebuild it in order to be able to spend time together with the whole court in a variety of entertainments. To realize this plan, he invited artists and architects.

The building was designed by the famous architect Louis Leveau. Two artists, Charles Herrard and Noël Coipel, were involved in the redevelopment of the gardens, and the redevelopment of the gardens fell to Andre Le Nôtre, whose task also included designing the greenhouse. Work began in 1661, and three years later the king was already able to invite guests to the first palace celebrations dedicated to theatrical productions, including plays by Moliere. At this time, Louis XIV decided to further rebuild the palace. According to Levo's design, enveloppe were erected in 1668-1681 - two massive wings, northern and southern, which surrounded and almost absorbed the palace of Louis XIII. The wings, located parallel to the central axis of the palace and park complex, were oriented towards the entrance from the city, and the so-called Royal Court (Cour Royal) was located in the space formed between them. On the side of the garden facade, between the projections of the two wings, Levo placed an arched enfilade, above which he built an open terrace on the upper tier. The southern wing was intended for the ruler's apartments, while the northern wing served the queen and her ladies-in-waiting.

A hall full of mirrors

Louis XIV not only made Versailles his permanent residence, but also decided to transfer the government there. To accommodate the large retinue and officials, another large-scale reconstruction was required, which began in 1678. Levo had already died by that time, and was replaced by another royal architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart. He designed the impressive Gallery of Mirrors (Galerie des Glares), built on the garden side between the projections on the site of a former observation deck. The gallery opens onto the garden with seventeen high semicircular windows, opposite which on the inner wall there are mirrors, corresponding in shape and size to the windows.

During the day, when the garden was reflected in the mirrors, the gallery turned into an arched pavilion, surrounded on both sides by extensive flower beds; in the evenings, the mirrors multiplied the lights of the candles illuminating the gallery, increasing their brightness. The ceiling depicted scenes glorifying the Sun King and his military achievements. This decoration, completed in 1686, was carried out according to sketches and under the direction of the famous painter Charles Lebrun.

On both sides of the gallery, on the ground floor of the risalits, designed by Levo, two luxurious halls were built - the War Hall in the king's apartment and the Peace Hall in the wing that belonged to the queen.

Hardouin-Mansart also designed two massive wings with courtyards, located perpendicular to the central axis of the entire structure. The southern wing was completed in 1684, but construction of the northern wing was suspended due to the ever-increasing cost of the project and was resumed only in the 19th century. The architect rebuilt two separate pavilions built by Levo on the city side, placing between them a spacious courtyard, which was called the Court of Ministers (Cour des Ministres).

Louis XIV and his court moved to Versailles on May 6, 1682, when construction work was in full swing and even the royal apartments were still unfinished. Despite the inconveniences associated with life on the construction site, the king did not change his permanent residence, and the Palace of Versailles remained the residence of French rulers until the revolution of 1789.

The last completed part of the Hardouin-Mansart project was the Royal Chapel, conceived by the architect as an independent building connected to the northern wing of the palace.

Personal apartments of monarchs

Despite numerous reconstructions, the Palace of Versailles looks from the inside as a harmonious whole; the features of classical baroque dominate in a single consistent style. The interiors - in particular, the so-called Grands Appartaments of Louis XIV and his wife, consisting of many halls and connected by a Gallery of Mirrors - amaze with the luxury of decoration, an abundance of sculptures, stucco, gold and wall paintings representing the exploits of the Olympian gods.

There was also room for other buildings in the palace and park ensemble of Versailles. After the purchase and demolition of the small village of Trianon in 1668, Louis Levo built in its place the Porcelain Trianon - an ensemble of pavilions lined with white and black faience tiles.

More than ten years later, Jules Hardouin-Mansart received a decree from the king to build a new palace, which was intended for the personal needs of the ruler. In the lower part of the vast complex, located between the courtyard and the garden, you can see the recreated village buildings, while elegant sculptural decorations and pink marble lining the façade and colonnades give the entire structure an intimate sophistication.

The Trianon Palace became known as the Grand when a new residence of a similar design appeared nearby, called the Petit Trianon. It was ordered to be built in 1761-1768 by Louis XV, the great-grandson and heir of the Sun King, for his favorite Madame de Pompadour. The author of the Petit Trianon was Jacques-Ange Gabriel. Compared to other buildings of Versailles, the palace really looks small, and its interiors combine features of Rococo and Classicism. The Petit Trianon was the favorite residence of Queen Marie Antoinette, who received it as a gift from Louis XVI.

After the French Revolution broke out in October 1789, the royal family had to leave Versailles and the palace was sacked. It regained its shine during the time of Louis Philippe, who ordered the establishment of a museum of French history here. After the final overthrow of the monarchy, meetings of the Congress and parliamentary elections of the President of the Republic were held at Versailles, and the Trianon Palace served as the venue for diplomatic meetings. The Treaty of Versailles was signed in the Gallery of Mirrors on June 28, 1919, ending the First World War.

Famous Gardens

The modest garden that once surrounded the palace, built by Louis XIII, was constantly changed during the reign of his heir - it was expanded and brought to perfection so that its luxury corresponded to the splendor of the building itself. Andre Le Nôtre, designing the garden in 1661, outlined its main features, which remained unchanged throughout the 40 years of the project. Artists and sculptors worked together with Le Nôtre - the environment of the palace had to meet the aesthetic requirements embodied in its interiors. Closer to the garden façade, floral parterres with a strict chessboard composition were placed, which turned into higher so-called cabinets and bosquets, formed by trellises of trimmed bushes and trees, crowned with crowns of a strictly defined shape. The parterres created a frame for two fountains decorated with sculptural compositions. Closer to the palace there is a multi-tiered fountain dedicated to the goddess Leto (Latona), mother of Apollo and Artemis. A wide alley with lawns stretches from it to the Apollo Fountain. In the center there is a statue of the Sun god driving a chariot, surrounded by tritons and dolphins. The author of these sculptures is Jean-Baptiste Turby.

The harmonious combination of strict geometric shapes of greenery and water surface is also characteristic of the far part of the garden, where Le Nôtre built two canals intersecting at right angles. The largest of them, called the Grand Canal, ended in an oval pond.

Since 1664, canals, numerous small fountains, waterfalls and artificial grottoes have formed an important part of the scenery for all kinds of performances and palace celebrations. Along the Grand Canal, in addition to traditional sailing boats, gondolas floated, which Louis XIV received as a gift from the Venetian doges. It is noteworthy that during the time of this ruler, the costs associated with the creation and maintenance of the water system amounted to one third of the cost of building the entire Versailles.

The garden complex, maintained in strict geometric proportions, with clearly marked observation platforms, decorated with many statues and flowerpots on pedestals, became the quintessence of the features of the “French garden”, which was laid out in many residences in Europe and America in the 17th and 18th centuries. The garden occupies an impressive area of ​​93 hectares, but in Versailles itself it is called the Petit Pare, since beyond its boundaries there is an incomparably large territory - more than 700 hectares - of the Grand Parc, where the garden surrounding the Grand Trianon Palace is located. It is arranged according to a similar geometric principle and is decorated with parterres reminiscent of oriental carpets.

Versailles- this name is associated throughout the world with the idea of ​​the most significant and magnificent palace, erected by the will of one monarch. The Palace of Versailles, a recognized masterpiece of world heritage, is a fairly young palace and park ensemble, only three and a half centuries old. And for almost three hundred years it has attracted the attention of researchers, writers, scientists, and tourists. Since the 17th century, many guidebooks and descriptions of the palace and park have been published, but most of them are in French. There are far fewer works about Versailles created by Russian researchers. There are even fewer materials covering the issues of the integrity of the architectural composition of Versailles, its role in the history of park art and historical and artistic significance.

Thus, Versailles is still an interesting problem for researchers around the world.

Versailles as a symbol of absolute monarchy in France

History of the construction of Versailles

The second half of the 17th century is the period of development of classicism in French architecture. This is the era of absolutism, when the courtier becomes synonymous with the national, just as the very personality of the king becomes the embodiment of the state. Absolutism as a state system acts as a bearer of rationality in culture and art, providing the broadest opportunities for the artistic realization of the high ideals of rationalism in the forms of the unprecedented splendor of the residence of the Sun King. This is how Versailles is created - the ideal embodiment of absolutism in architecture and a high example of the aspiration of the architectural genius of a nation to create perfect forms of the natural world in accordance with the laws of the human mind.

The Palace and Park of Versailles is one of the outstanding architectural ensembles in the history of world architecture. The layout of the vast park, the territory associated with the Palace of Versailles, is the pinnacle of French park art, and the palace itself is a first-class architectural monument. A galaxy of brilliant masters worked on this ensemble. They created a complex, complete architectural complex that included a monumental palace building and a number of park structures of “small forms”, and, most importantly, a park that was exceptional in its compositional integrity. The Versailles ensemble is a highly characteristic and striking work of French classicism of the 17th century.

The history of the park and palace is closely connected with the development of absolutism. The construction of Versailles was conceived and carried out in the second half of the 17th century, when absolutism reached the highest level of its power. The last years of the reign of Louis XIV - the years of the crisis of absolutism and the beginning of its decline - are also the period of the crisis of Versailles.

The construction expressed the ideas of a centralized monarchy that was progressive for its time, ending the feudal fragmentation of states and uniting France. Social restructuring was also associated with its economic development. These economic successes of France, an advanced country of the 17th century, were reflected in the very technique of building Versailles. For example, the Mirror Gallery of the palace was not only an expression of the search for new spatial and lighting solutions, it was supposed to demonstrate the achievements of the French glass industry, its first victories over Venice. The three upper avenues are not only the completion of the palace perspective, but also a monument to road construction. Finally, the fountains and pools of the Versailles Park should be recognized as a significant technical achievement of the era, as well as the digging of the famous Languedon Canal.

The idea of ​​unity, order, system - this is what French absolutism contrasted with the fragmentation of feudal princes. In art forms this was signified: a sense of proportion, tectonic clarity, representativeness, overcoming the intimacy characteristic of French architecture of the 16th - early 17th centuries.

The art of Versailles is an expression of a complete and consistent worldview of the era of classicism.

Versailles as an architectural and park ensemble did not arise immediately; it was not created by one builder, like many palaces of the 17th-18th centuries that imitated it.

“Ancient chronicles report that at the beginning of the 17th century, Versailles was a village with a population of 500 people, on the site of the future palace there was then a mill, and fields and endless swamps stretched all around. In 1624, on behalf of Louis XIII, the architect Philibert Le Roy built a small hunting castle near a village called Versailles. Near it there was a medieval dilapidated castle - the property of the house of Gondi. Saint-Simon in his memoirs calls this ancient Versailles castle a “house of cards.” This castle was rebuilt in the coming years by order of the king by the architect Lemercier. At the same time, Louis acquired the Gondi site along with the dilapidated archbishop's palace and demolished it to expand his park.

The small castle was located 17 kilometers from Paris. It was a U-shaped structure with a moat. In front of the castle there were four buildings made of stone and brick with metal bars on the balconies. The courtyard of the old castle, which later received the name Mramorny, has survived to this day. The first gardens of the Versailles Park were laid out by Jacques Boisseau and Jacques de Menoir.

In 1662, Versailles began to be built according to Le Nôtre's plan. Andre Le Nôtre (1613-1700) by this time had already become famous as a builder of country estates with regular parks (in Vaux-le-Vicomte, Saux, Saint-Cloud, etc.). It is interesting that the residence in Vaux-le-Vicomte, designed with extreme luxury, was owned by the influential intendant Fouquet. The king was hostile to him and imprisoned him. Thus, the creators of the park and castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte, Le Nôtre and Levo, were involved in the construction of Versailles. The architecture of the Fouquet estate was adopted as a model for Versailles. Having preserved the Fouquet Palace, the king removed from it everything that could be removed and taken away, right down to the orange trees and marble statues of the park.

Le Nôtre began by building a city that would house the courtiers of Louis XIV and a large staff of palace servants and military guards. The city was designed for thirty thousand inhabitants. Its layout was subject to three radial highways, which diverged from the central part of the palace in three directions: to Seau, Saint-Cloud, and Paris. Despite the direct analogy with the Roman trilucium, the Versailles composition differed significantly from its Italian prototype. In Rome, the streets diverged from Piazza del Popolo, but in Versailles they quickly converged on the palace. In Rome, the width of the streets was less than thirty meters, in Versailles - about a hundred. In Rome, the angle formed between the three highways was 24 degrees, and in Versailles 30 degrees.

To quickly populate the city, Louis XIV distributed building plots to everyone (of course, nobles) for a reasonable price with the only condition that buildings be built in the same style and not higher than 18.5 meters, that is, the level of the entrance to the palace.

The construction of the residence took place over several periods. In 1661, the reconstruction of the small castle of Louis XIII was entrusted to the architect Levo, one of the best architects of the era. The decorative decoration of the palace was updated, and the Greenhouse was built. In 1668-1671, the castle was built with new premises in such a way that the walls of the buildings forming the Marble Courtyard, facing east, were preserved; the walls of the external facades of the castle were largely destroyed. As a result of this, the western, park façade was lengthened threefold, and Levo built up the old building only on the first floor; its upper two floors now opened onto a terrace, which created a kind of propylae that connected the park with the Marble Court. The southern and northern facades were also lengthened due to two exquisitely shaped buildings. The Ambassadors' staircase was placed in the new northern extension, and the Queen's staircase in the southern one. Levo died without finishing the design of the front part of the palace, which was carried out by Francois d'Aubray, who placed a lattice with two pavilions along the eastern ends of the palace. This is how the “Royal Court” was formed.

As a result of the second construction cycle, Versailles developed into an integral palace and park ensemble, which is a wonderful example of the synthesis of arts - architecture, sculpture, and landscape gardening art of French classicism of the 17th century. However, after the death of Cardinal Mazarin, Versailles, created by Levo, began to seem insufficiently majestic to express the idea of ​​​​an absolute monarchy. Therefore, Jules Hardouin Mansart, the largest architect of the end of the century, whose name is associated with the third construction period in the history of the creation of this complex, was invited to rebuild Versailles. Mansar further enlarged the palace by erecting two wings, each five hundred meters long, at right angles to the southern and northern facades of the palace. In the northern wing he placed a church (1699-1710), the vestibule of which was finished by Robert de Cotte. In addition, Mansart built two more floors above the Levo terrace, creating a Mirror Gallery along the western facade, closing with the halls of War and Peace (1680-1886). On the axis of the palace towards the entrance on the second floor, Mansart placed the royal bedroom with a view of the city and an equestrian statue of the king, which was later placed at the vanishing point of the trident of the roads of Versailles. The king's chambers were located in the northern part of the palace, and the queen's in the southern part. Mansart also built two buildings of Ministers (1671-1681), which formed the third, the so-called “court of the Ministers,” and connected these buildings with a rich gilded lattice.

All this completely changed the appearance of the building, although Mansar left the same height of the building. Gone are the contrasts, the freedom of imagination, nothing remains but the extended horizontal of the three-story structure, united in the structure of its facades with the ground, front and attic floors. The impression of grandeur that this brilliant architecture produces is achieved by the large scale of the whole and the simple and calm rhythm of the entire composition.

Mansart knew how to combine various elements into a single artistic whole. He had an amazing sense of ensemble, striving for rigor in decoration. For example, in the Mirror Gallery he used a single architectural motif - a uniform alternation of partitions with openings. This classicist base creates a sense of clear form. Thanks to Mansart, the expansion of the Palace of Versailles acquired a natural character. The extensions received a strong relationship with the central buildings. The ensemble, outstanding in its architectural and artistic qualities, was successfully completed and had a great influence on the development of world architecture.

“The creators of the palace were not only Levo and Mansar. A significant group of architects worked under their leadership. Lemuet, Dorbay, Pierre Guitard, Bruant, Pierre Cottar and Blondel worked with Levo. Mansart's main assistant was his student and relative Robert de Cotte, who continued to supervise the construction after Mansart's death in 1708. In addition, Charles Davilet and Lassurance worked at Versailles. The interiors were made according to drawings by Beren, Vigarani, as well as Lebrun and Mignard.

Due to the participation of many masters, the architecture of Versailles is now heterogeneous, especially since the construction of Versailles (from the appearance of the hunting castle of Louis XIII to the construction of the battle gallery of Louis Philippe) lasted about two centuries (1624-1830).

The Bourbon dynasty at Versailles.

Bourbons (Bourbon) - (younger branch of the Capetians) an old French family, which, thanks to its relationship with the royal house of the Capetians, occupied the French and other thrones for a long time. Its name comes from a castle in the former province of Bourbonnais.

“The Bourbon dynasty gave the world Louis XIV - the “Sun King”, under whom the construction of the Palace of Versailles began. The example of the “Sun King” was imitated by all of Europe; the morals of his court, etiquette, even the French language itself enjoyed unprecedented popularity; his luxurious palace at Versailles became an unattainable model for countless princes.” He held in his hands the threads of all the political intrigues of the country. The court of Versailles, with strictly regulated etiquette, became the center from which all decisions emanated, and rays of splendor and luxury flowed over the entire country. On the pediment of the main palace building there was an inscription carved: “The Palace of Versailles is open for public entertainment.” Grandees and nobles flocked here even from remote corners of France in pursuit of the favor of Louis XIV. Nobles who wanted to take a place in the ranks of the army, obtain a position at court or in the civil service, secure a pension or awards for themselves, crowded into the chambers of Versailles, strolled along its alleys, participated in festivities and hunts, and with all their behavior proved their loyal devotion to the sovereign.

Everyday life at Versailles proceeded in accordance with strict rules established by the King and palace etiquette. Morning awakening, going to bed, dinner and walks of the King - all the gestures and actions of the monarch served as an occasion

for court ceremonies. A brilliant company surrounded the King when he heard mass or gave an audience to foreign ambassadors. The courtiers thus brought variety and excitement to palace life.

To entertain the Court, the monarchs organized magnificent festivities. Under Louis XIV, three grandiose festivals were organized at Versailles, at which performances by the best artists of the era were presented - Moliere and Lully. The first performance of "The Delights of the Magic Island" took place in May 1664. The second celebration, the most magnificent of the three, took place on July 18, 1668; it went down in history under the name of the Great Versailles Divertissement. The last one took place in July 1674, when performances of many of Lully’s operas and Moliere’s comedy “The Imaginary Invalid” took place.

Versailles hosted theatrical performances and operas, and masquerade balls were held both in apartments and in the Mirror Gallery or in the park. In the era of Marie Antoinette, the Trianon became the theater of numerous illuminations.

The Palace of Versailles was not just the home of the king, but also a symbol of the French kingdom. Court etiquette, strict adherence to hierarchy, impressiveness, gallantry - everything was supposed to emphasize the magnificent splendor of the palace.

Each of the inhabitants of the Palace of Versailles left their mark on its architecture and decoration. Louis XV, the great-grandson of Louis XIV, who inherited the throne in 1715, only towards the end of his reign in 1770 decided to make changes to the architecture of the palace. He ordered separate apartments to be equipped in order to protect his life from court etiquette. In turn, Louis XV inherited from his great-grandfather a love of the arts, as evidenced by the decoration of his Inner Chambers; and the penchant for secret political intrigue passed to him from the Italian ancestors of the Medici family and the Savoy dynasty. It was in the Inner Cabinets, far from the curious court, that he who was called "Everyone's Favorite" made some of the most important decisions of the state. At the same time, the king did not neglect either the etiquette established by his predecessor, or the life of the family, of which the queen and his especially beloved daughters reminded him.

Louis XVI, the heir of Louis XV, whose reign was tragically interrupted by the revolution, inherited enviable heroic strength from his maternal grandfather, the Polish king Augustus of Saxony; on the other hand, his ancestors, the Bourbons, passed on to him not only a true passion for hunting, but also a deep interest in science. His wife Marie Antoinette, daughter of the Duke of Lorraine, who later became Emperor of Austria, and great-granddaughter of Philip of Orleans, brother of King Louis XIV, and the famous Princess Palatine, left a deep mark on the musical life of Versailles thanks to her love of music, inherited from both the Habsburgs of Austria and from Louis XIII. Unlike his ancestors, Louis XVI did not have the ambitions of a king-creator. Known for his simple tastes, he lived in the palace out of necessity. During his reign, the interior of the palace was updated, and, above all, the Queen's Small Offices, which were located parallel to his Large Chambers.

During the revolution, all the furniture and decorations of the palace were stolen. Napoleon and then Louis XVIII carried out restoration work at Versailles. After the July Revolution of 1830, the palace was supposed to be demolished. This issue was put to a vote in the Chamber of Deputies. The margin of one vote was saved by Versailles.

The last of the dynasty, King Louis Philippe, ruled France from 1830 to 1848

year. In 1830, after the July Revolution, which brought him to the throne, the House of Representatives passed a law by which Versailles and Trianon passed into the possession of the new king. Wasting no time, Louis Philippe ordered the creation of a Museum in Versailles in honor of the glorious victories of France, which opened on June 1, 1837. This purpose of the castle has been preserved to this day.

I would like to note the political significance of Versailles. It was the center of the state and over the past centuries has witnessed many historical events. The first stage of the Great French Revolution is associated with it. Here, on June 17, 1789, the meeting of deputies of the third estate proclaimed itself the National Assembly, and on July 9 - the Constituent Assembly. On August 26, the “Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen” was adopted at Versailles. On September 3, 1783, a peace treaty was signed here, establishing the independence of the United States. During the Paris Commune in 1871, Versailles, where the National Assembly and the Thiers government were located, became the center of the counter-revolution: from here the offensive of government troops - the “Versailles” - began, ending in their victory. On June 28, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed here, ending the First World War.

The Bourbon family, a symbol of power and glory for many centuries, is now synonymous with French royal style and elegance.

Versailles: a grand synthesis of palace and park

Despite the clear underlying plan, the individual parts of the Versailles ensemble are far from complete unity. The architecture of the palace facades facing the city is especially stylistically diverse.

In creating the Palace of Versailles, its main authors, Levo and Mansart, relied on Italian architecture. The Grand Order is the main motif of Versailles architecture. It is present on the western facade of the palace, as well as in later buildings - the Grand and Petit Trianon. The nature of the orders used in Versailles is typical for the buildings of Palladio and Vignola - only decorative details and capitals vary. For example, Lebrun created the so-called “French order” by placing the emblems of Louis XIV - the lily and the sun - in the capitals.

As a rule, the facade of Versailles does not correspond to the internal layout of the palace. External architecture masks the purpose of various parts of the building intended for domestic services.

Therefore, architecture acquires a pronounced representative character, consistent with the spirit of absolutism.

The interiors of the palace were also created over several construction periods. The principles of the “grand style” of French art of the time of Louis XIV are especially clear in them, that is, the combination of a sober logic of composition with decorative enrichment of forms.

The central part of the palace housed the royal family, and the huge wings housed the guards and courtiers. The royal couple's state rooms occupied the second floor. Each room was dedicated to various ancient deities, whose names were allegorically associated with members of the royal family. Scenes from the life of the gods are depicted on the lampshades and above the fireplaces, and easel paintings hung on the walls, which later formed the first collection of the Louvre.

The interior of the church, completed in 1710 by Robert de Cotte, is one of the links in the overall artistically unified chain of ceremonial interiors of the palace; it is full of secular splendor and refined pomp. The interior of the central part of the palace is much richer

in terms of the variety of artistic means involved than facades. This principle of the relationship between the external and internal appearance of a building, formed at Versailles, later became widespread in Rococo hotels.

Almost all the interiors of the central part of the palace were completed by Lebrun himself, with constant consultation from the Perrault brothers. Le Brun attracted the largest painters, sculptors, coppersmiths, carvers and organized a special school. Under the leadership of Lebrun there was a tapestry manufactory and two hundred and fifty workers.

During the period of his work with Levo, Lebrun's work had baroque tendencies, clearly expressed in the staircase of the Ambassadors, which leads to the large apartments of the king. The master uses the techniques of illusory perspective, applied very skillfully and interestingly.

The chambers of the royal apartments were located in such a way that there was the greatest number of intermediate links between the starting point of movement (the Ambassadors' staircase) and its end point (the Royal Bedroom).

This sequence of chambers is reflected in both the colorful and spatial design of individual interiors. Their architecture at the Palace of Versailles strives to create a holistic spatial experience in each room, with subtle emphasis on the back wall. Each hall had its own front side, its own façade.

“The enfilade principle of planning also triumphs in the famous Mirror Gallery. This, in essence, is not a throne room, but a real avenue 173 meters long. Here it was important to decorate the vault and walls so as not to overload the spaces and not obstruct the flow of people. Lebrun placed images of Louis' victories on the vault. Painting lost its independent meaning, but space acquired grace and lightness. Instead of tapestries, paintings of statues that attract attention and stop the viewer, the gallery is covered with light, wide mirrors.

The enfilade arrangement of the premises also includes a chapel. True, from the outside it seems like a foreign body, but inside it is connected to the enfilade of state halls through a special vestibule, which is directly adjacent to the choir.

Even the royal bedroom is included in the enfilade system. Only a low balustrade separates the king's bed from the flow of courtiers flowing past. Living quarters are sacrificed to state halls. In this sense, Versailles is a complete type of ceremonial arrangement of premises, characteristic of the absolutism of the 18th century.” The interiors of Versailles break with the tradition of the 16th century. The ceilings are always smooth or vaulted, covered with paintings with allegorical subjects. They have panels made of marble, plaster or bronze. Staircases, usually spiral until the 17th century, acquired straight flights in this era, with wide landings, balustrades and iron grilles. Mostly gilding is used on a white background; polychrome plays a very limited role.

The buildings located next to the palace are united with it in their architectural images. The Levo greenhouse was enlarged fourfold in 1681-1688 and rebuilt by Mansart according to the model of the Roman baths. It is connected to the southern parterre by two colossal staircases, between which it is located. It seems that the idea of ​​the grandiose has found its form in the image of these stairs. When viewed from the Swiss stalls, lying at the foot of the greenhouse, the meaning of the whole plan emerges especially clearly. The scale of the stairs, the huge planes of which seem to go into the sky, is incommensurate with man: they were created for the “idea” that reigns here.

In the same plan, Mansart built the Large and Small Stables (opposite the palace, on the city side) in 1679-1686. They took a place between the rays of the trident of roads.

Let's start our journey with Museum of carriages. Housed in large stables, it houses a collection of carriages assembled mainly by Louis Philippe for the Versailles Historical Museum. At that time, Louis Philippe bought carriages that had historical value and had once served monarchs. Thus, the wedding Berlins of Napoleon I were delivered to Versailles - seven festive carriages illustrating the splendor of the imperial court in its heyday on April 2, 1810, as well as the carriage of Charles X, in which he rode on the day of his coronation and which was designed by the architect Percier for Louis XVIII , but in the context of the political disagreements of the Restoration era, Louis XVIII did not dare to use it. In addition, Louis Philippe purchased a sleigh and a stretcher. In 1833, a new exhibit was added to the collection - the funeral carriage of Louis XVIII, previously stored in the Small Stables. This carriage, used in 1809 for the funeral of Marshal Lannes, Duke of Montebello, and then rebuilt for the Duke of Berry (son of the future Louis XVIII), killed in 1820, was re-decorated for the funeral procession of Louis XVIII, held on September 23, 1824. Despite all the changes this crew has undergone at different times, it has been restored to the same form as it was on this day.

Yards. Three wide thoroughfares rush towards the castle: from the north - Avenue Saint-Cloud, from the south - Avenue de Saux, and between them - Paris Avenue. From the north they go around the Big Stables, and from the south - the Small Stables, gradually built by Hardouin-Mansart, starting in 1679.

Behind them lies Armory Square, crossing which visitors find themselves in the Main Court of Honor. On both sides of this courtyard are the Ministerial wings, built in 1671-1679, at the entrance there is an openwork fence crowned with the Royal coat of arms. The fence is flanked by four sculptural groups symbolizing War (“Victories of the King over the Empire and Spain”) and Peace (“Peace and Plenty”). The last two were located on both sides of the grid, which before the Revolution separated the Honorary and Royal Courts. During the Revolution, the inner fence was demolished, and in its place in 1837, Louis Philippe ordered an equestrian statue of Louis XIV to be installed. The internal lattice began directly from two pavilions, which stood on the site of the North Wing (architect Gabriel, late Louis XV era) and the South Pavilion (architect Dufour, Louis XVIII era). Only a few persons granted the Honors of the Louvre had the right to enter the Royal Court in a carriage. In the back, on an elevation of five steps, is the Marble Court - (its name comes from the marble slabs) - which gives an idea of ​​​​the size of the courtyard at the time of the existence of the castle of Louis XVIII.

Royal Chapel- the fifth in the castle, however, unlike others, which were built in existing buildings, the premises for the Royal Chapel were built specifically. On the corner formed by the central building of the palace and its Northern wing, from 1699 to 1708, that is, until his death, the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart erected this chapel; its construction was completed in 1710 under the direction of the architect's son-in-law, Robert de Cotte. The design scheme as a whole corresponds to the traditional canons of Palatine three-story chapels, but it is made in a classical interpretation. The decor emphasizes continuity

The Old and New Testaments, both in the reliefs of Coustou, Fremin, Lemoine, Van Cleve, Magnier, Poirier and Vasé, and in the painting of vaults imbued with the spirit of the Holy Trinity: be it the apse ceiling with the “Resurrection of Christ” by de Lafosse, or the vault of the central the nave with “The Most High in Glory, Heralding the Coming of the Savior” by the artist Antoine Coypel, or the ceiling above the royal gallery with the composition “The Appearance of the Holy Spirit to the Virgin and the Apostles” by Jouvenet, as well as the decor of the large organ, inspired by the theme of King David.

The King of France listened to mass from the royal gallery located opposite the altar. The gallery was located on the same floor as his apartments, so the King went down to the lower floor of the chapel only in exceptional cases. To enter the gallery, the King passed through a hall with a vaulted ceiling and stone walls, rhythmically decorated with pilasters and Corinthian columns. This vestibule was built at the same time as the chapel; in its decor it is combined with the style of the chapel, connecting it with the Great Royal Apartments. In two niches of the hall there is a statue of Glory holding a medallion with a portrait of Louis XV by Vasse, and “The Generosity of the Monarch” by the sculptor Busso.

The royal chapel in honor of St. Louis served as a place for ceremonies in honor of the Holy Spirit, the anthem “Te Deum” was performed here on the occasion of the victories of the French army and the birth of the Children of France, and the marriages of princes of the blood were celebrated.

Through the Royal Gallery you can enter the second floor of the castle, the Salon of Hercules. This spacious hall, located at the junction of the North Wing and the central building of the castle, hosted lavish receptions. A salon was installed in the upper part of the fourth chapel, where religious services continued from 1682 to 1710. In 1712, Robert de Cotte began creating the interior decoration of the salon. But due to the death of Louis XIV in 1715, work was interrupted and resumed only in 1725.

The wall decoration rhythmically combines polychrome marble and twenty pilasters, the base and Corinthian capitals of which are made of gilded bronze. A cornice decorated with consoles and trophies rests on the pilasters.

The marble fireplace by Antenna is crowned with Paolo Veronese’s “The Meeting of Eleazar and Reveka.” His other painting - “Dinner at Simon the Pharisee” - is located opposite; Louis XIV received it as a gift in 1664 from the Venetian Republic. The ceiling painting, made according to sketches by François Lemoine in 1733-1736, brought the artist the title of First Royal Painter. Nine complex compositions combining 142 figures make up Lemoine's creation. “In the first composition, Juno and Jupiter propose to young Hebe to take Hercules as his wife. In the second we see Bacchus supported by the god Pan. Above are Amphitrite and Mercury, below are Venus surrounded by the Graces, as well as Cupid, Pandora and Diana. The third composition unites Mars, Vulcan and Cupids. Envy, Anger, Hatred, Discord and other vices overthrown by the chariot make up the fourth composition. The fifth represents Cybele in her chariot, Minerva and Ceres, Neptune and Pluto. In the sixth you can see Aeolus, Zephyr and Flora, Dew watering the clouds, and below - Dreams shower poppies on the sleeping Morpheus. The seventh composition includes Iris and Aurora, and around them are figures representing the Stars. Apollo and the Muses appear in the eighth composition. The ninth group includes the constellation Castor and Pollux. Silena, surrounded by children and Fauns, symbolizes the Bacchic festival in honor of Hercules."

The Hall of Hercules smoothly transitions into the Great Royal Chambers, consisting of several salons: the Salon of Abundance, the Salon of Venus, the Salon of Diana, the Salon of Mars, the Salon of Mercury, and the Salon of Apollo. Located on the second floor of the castle and overlooking the North Parterre, the Great Royal Apartments were built from 1671 to 1681. Their purpose was determined only in 1682, when the King ordered to turn Versailles into an official state residence. In these chambers “the King received receptions, but did not live”; it could be reached via the Ambassadorial Staircase, two flights of which led respectively to the Salons of Venus and Diana. Levo's ingenious creation - the Ambassadorial Staircase - was built by Francois d'Orbe; in 1752 it was demolished by order of Louis XV.

Until 1678, when construction began on the Gallery of Mirrors, the Great Royal Apartments included seven rooms. Noting the splendor of the picturesque decor of the apartments, Felibien wrote in 1674: “Just as the Sun was chosen for the emblem of the King, the seven planets formed the subjects of the canvases that decorate all the rooms of these chambers.”

And cultural upsurge. The great monarch is especially famous as the customer of the most beautiful palace in the world. The king's merit is that today everyone knows where Versailles is and what it is. But what is known about this monumental structure itself? It will be interesting to get acquainted with his history and touch the legends he witnessed. Moreover, France was famous for its intrigues and palace secrets throughout Europe.

From an unknown village to the center of the country

The Louvre is now one of the most prestigious museums in the world, and once served as the home of French monarchs. It was within its walls that important agreements were signed and complex interstate issues were resolved. Louis XIV spent part of his childhood there. But the man never had a particular love for either Paris or the Louvre.

The official reason for moving the residence was the king's fear for his life. He stated that he felt in constant danger in the capital, so the new palace would be a suburb of Paris. Back then, in 1661, no one had any idea where Versailles was. But within a few years, the fame of the brilliant residence of the Sun King spread throughout Europe.

These regions were first mentioned in 1038. For more than five hundred years, the place was just a tiny settlement, overgrown with forests and covered with impenetrable swamps. There was a lot of game in these lands, and the father of Louis XIV loved to hunt there. On his initiative, a hunting lodge was built in one of the clearings in 1623. There Louis XIII, nicknamed the Just, often rested with his son.

The first stone is laid - envy

Despite statements about the danger posed by the Louvre, the courtiers knew very well the true reason for the construction of the new residence.

The history of Versailles began on August 17, 1661. It was on this evening, 55 kilometers from Paris, that Finance Minister Nicolas Fouquet organized a gala reception in honor of the housewarming. The new home was the Vaux-le-Vicomte castle with gardens of unprecedented beauty. The palace immediately took the leading position and... overtook the Louvre. Unheard of insolence!

Louis XIV was also present at the celebration. He was struck by the grandeur and wealth of the estate, moreover, it aroused envy. Another unpleasant moment was the pride of the owner. That same evening, without waiting for the feast to end, the king informed the architects Louis Leveau, Jules Hardouin-Mansart and the park planner André Le Nôtre, who were working on the Vaux-le-Vicomte project, that from now on they were under his leadership. Their task is to create an object that will be worthy of His Majesty. It was these three people who were the first to find out where Versailles was located.

First obstacles

The masters were friends and understood each other perfectly. The demand that the king put forward was a great honor and... a significant risk. The customer's first wish: to leave the modest hunting lodge that his father had built. The building, measuring 24 by 6 meters, presented a big challenge for the architects.

The garden projector also ran into trouble. Swampy, dense forests required extraordinary efforts to create parks like paradise out of them. But the main obstacle was the king himself. He demanded that everything be done efficiently and in the shortest possible time. It was assumed that this would not be just a palace, but a chic ensemble, so beautiful that it would never even occur to anyone to ask: “Where is Versailles?” According to Louis's plan, this was supposed to be the place where heaven meets earth.

The work began with the construction of houses for thousands of builders in the village. Louis XIV himself, meanwhile, was buying up the surrounding lands.

Heart of France

Baroque and classicism styles were chosen for the magnificent castle. The main facade of the palace is a mirror gallery. Its windows overlooked the park, and a parallel wall, hung with Venetian glass, fashionable at that time, which was then considered the purest, reflected the layout of the garden.

The main palace housed the ballrooms and bedrooms of the nobility. Every centimeter was decorated with taste. The walls were decorated with wooden carvings, frescoes, paintings, and there were sculptures in the niches. It is not uncommon to see silver and gold in rooms. In the front palace there was the bedroom of the king himself. On both sides were the halls of Versailles.

Another reason for the construction of such a huge complex was Louis XIV. A supporter of an absolute monarchy wanted to keep all subjects under control. In such a grandiose palace, which could accommodate 20,000 subjects, the goal became real. But here it is worth noting that spacious apartments were provided to noble nobles, favorites and favorites, while servants lived in tiny closets.

Halls of the Gods

The pride of the residence was the Mirror Gallery. Its length reached 73 meters, width - 11 m. 357 mirrors created a visual illusion. It seemed that the park was laid out on both sides of the palace. The hall was decorated with paintings and frescoes, gilded statues and crystal chandeliers.

Then every poor person knew where Versailles was. The king allowed everyone to visit it, because he was sure that it was the pride of all France. Every commoner could address the monarch within the walls of the palace.

The halls, which were named after the Greeks, were very popular. Thus, the Diana Hall was used at receptions as a billiard room. All the tables were covered with expensive crimson velor with gold fringe along the edges.

The Apollo Hall served for diplomatic negotiations. In the evenings, they showed skits in which the Sun King himself took part. There was also a French military glory room.

André Le Nôtre designed the royal gardens. Researchers believe that the splendor of the park is associated with the person of Louis XIV himself. The fields occupied 8300 hectares. Each composition fit harmoniously into the ensemble. The monarch did not want to wait years for the trees and bushes to grow, so they were partially transported from other lands, including pure ones from Vaux-le-Vicomte.

The layout of Versailles resembles rays of the sun radiating from the center through alleys and squares. This is how the head gardener wanted to glorify the Sun King Louis XIV.

Thousands of soldiers worked on the canals and fountains that became known as “Little Venice.” There was not enough water for such a mass of pools, so special spills were made from neighboring rivers.

Financial side

The favorite phrase of the monarch was the saying: “The state is me!” It was for these reasons that money for construction was immediately found in the treasury. But as work continued, the question of where to get funds arose more and more often. Initially, a thousand peasants worked at the construction site. Subsequently, more than 30,000 construction workers were involved. In times of peace, the king’s soldiers also picked up instruments.

Of course, there were victims. Hundreds fell to their deaths on the castle foundations. It became even more so when the crews started working on schedule. People worked day and night. Construction in the dark became fatal for many.

For a long time the truth was hidden from the king. When the information surfaced, he, sparing no expense, began paying compensation to the victims and their families.

Nevertheless, we tried to save on everything. Dozens of fireplaces did not work. The doors and windows did not fit tightly. This created inconvenience for residents in winter. The castle was very cold.

For a long time, each inhabitant of the palace could rebuild their apartments to suit their taste. But during the Nine Years' War, all costs for repairs fell on the shoulders of the nobles.

Today, several centuries later, it is difficult to estimate the full cost of the palace. But no documentary evidence has survived.

The fate of the residence after Louis XIV

The project was the favorite brainchild of the king, because he himself participated in its planning. The palace is not only the court secrets of Versailles, but also events of world significance. Conspiracies and intrigues were woven there, those close to the monarch, and the members themselves laughed and cried, loved and hated, there they decided the destinies of mere mortals and entire states...

Two subsequent rulers lived in Versailles. But, due to political and economic vicissitudes, already in 1789 it was difficult to maintain the palace. The halls were used only as museum rooms.

After the loss in the Franco-German War, the Hall of Mirrors was proclaimed. A few decades later, the same room witnessed the truce and the loss of the Triple Alliance.

You can't visit France without visiting Versailles. This is not just architecture, it is a dream come true. A symbol that a person can do absolutely anything. The main thing is to have a strong belief in the future and just a little determination to take advantage of your chance. If you ever find yourself in France, be sure to visit Versailles. Reviews from tourists about this architectural miracle are simply enthusiastic. This palace and park ensemble is the most luxurious royal residence in Europe. Huge buildings, spacious squares, large terraces with access directly to the park, galleries, ideal lawns, symmetrical paths, hedges, rainbow flower beds, sparkling fountains - all this was created in Versailles for the amusement of the king, his family, favorites and courtiers.

Message quote UNESCO World Heritage: France. Palaces and parks of Versailles. Part 1

The UNESCO World Heritage List in the French Republic includes 37 items (as of 2011), this is 3.8% of the total (936 as of 2011). 33 objects are included in the list according to cultural criteria, with 17 of them recognized as masterpieces of human genius (criterion i), 3 objects are included according to natural criteria, each of which is recognized as a natural phenomenon of exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance (criterion vii), as well as 1 mixed object , also falling under criterion vii. In addition, as of 2010, 33 sites in France are among the candidates for inclusion in the World Heritage List. The French Republic ratified the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage on June 27, 1975.

UNESCO experts have decided that French gastronomic culture, with its rituals and complex organization, is worthy of inclusion in the prestigious List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. For the first time in the world, a national cuisine has received this status, which indicates “its universal recognition.”
Experts of the Intergovernmental Committee of UNESCO satisfied the request of France in the art of Alençon lace - they were included in the List of Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Food is part of the French national identity. Normandy, Provencal, Burgundian and Alsatian cuisines differ from each other as much as the inhabitants of these regions. “It must be said that French cuisine is subject to numerous influences, which allows it to create new dishes and new tastes. It is difficult to overestimate the importance of this openness, especially given the characteristics of modern society,” says Hubert de Canson, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to UNESCO.

Versailles is a palace and park ensemble in France (French Parc et château de Versailles), the former residence of French kings in the city of Versailles, now a suburb of Paris; center of tourism of world importance.

Versailles was built under the leadership of Louis XIV in 1661, and became a kind of monument to the era of the “Sun King”, an artistic and architectural expression of the idea of ​​absolutism. The leading architects are Louis Levo and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the creator of the park is Andre Le Nôtre. The Versailles ensemble, the largest in Europe, is distinguished by its unique integrity of design and harmony of architectural forms and transformed landscape. Since the end of the 17th century, Versailles served as a model for the ceremonial country residences of European monarchs and aristocracy, but there are no direct imitations of it.

From 1666 to 1789, before the French Revolution, Versailles was the official royal residence. In 1801 it received the status of a museum and is open to the public; since 1830, the entire architectural complex of Versailles has become a museum; In 1837, the Museum of French History opened in the royal palace. In 1979, the Palace of Versailles and its park were included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.

Many significant events in French and world history are associated with Versailles. Thus, in the 18th century, the royal residence became the place where many international treaties were signed, including the treaty that ended the American War of Independence (1783). In 1789, the Constituent Assembly working in Versailles adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen.

Chapel_and_Gabriel_Wing_Palace_of_Versailles
Northern view

South facade. Versailles 2

In 1871, after the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, the creation of the German Empire was proclaimed in Versailles, occupied by German troops. Here in 1919 a peace treaty was signed, ending the First World War and marking the beginning of the so-called Versailles system - a political system of post-war international relations

View of the palace from the park

Versailles_-zicht_op_de_Écuries
The history of the Palace of Versailles begins in 1623 with a very modest hunting castle, similar to a feudal one, built at the request of Louis XIII from brick, stone and slate roofing on the territory purchased from Jean de Soisy, whose family owned the lands since the 14th century. The hunting castle was located in the place where the marble courtyard is now located. Its dimensions were 24 by 6 meters. In 1632, the territory was expanded through the purchase of the Versailles estate from the Archbishop of Paris from the Gondi family, and a two-year reconstruction was undertaken.

La Victoire sur l"Espagne Marcy Girardon Versailles

Since 1661, the “Sun King” Louis XIV began to expand the palace in order to use it as his permanent residence, since after the Fronde uprising, living in the Louvre seemed unsafe to him. Architects Andre Le Nôtre and Charles Lebrun renovated and expanded the palace in the classicist style. The entire façade of the palace on the garden side is occupied by a large gallery (Gallery of Mirrors, Gallery of Louis XIV), which makes a stunning impression with its paintings, mirrors and columns. In addition to it, the Gallery of Battles, the palace chapel and the Royal Opera House also deserve mention.

After the death of Louis XIV in 1715, the five-year-old King Louis XV, his court, and the Council of Regency of Philippe d'Orléans returned to Paris. Russian Tsar Peter I, during his visit to France, stayed in May 1717 in the Grand Trianon. The 44-year-old Tsar, while in Versailles, studied the structure of the Palace and parks, which served as a source of inspiration for him when creating Peterhof on the shores of the Gulf of Finland near St. Petersburg (Verlet, 1985).

Versailles changed during the reign of Louis XV, but not as much as it did under Louis XIV. In 1722, the king and his court returned to Versailles and the first project was the completion of the Salon of Hercules, the construction of which was begun in the last years of the reign of Louis XIV, but due to the death of the latter was not completed.

The Little Apartments of the King are recognized as a significant contribution of Louis XV to the development of Versailles; Chambers of Madame, Chambers of the Dauphin and his wife on the first floor of the Palace; as well as the personal chambers of Louis XV - the King's small apartments on the second floor (later rebuilt into Madame DuBarry's apartments) and the King's small apartments on the third floor - on the second and third floors of the Palace. The main achievement of Louis XV in the development of Versailles was the completion of the construction of the Opera Hall and the Petit Trianon Palace (Verlet, 1985).

Petit Trianon, palace

Small apartments of the king. Cabinet of golden service

Gaming salon of Louis 16th

Madame DuBarry
An equally significant contribution is the destruction of the Ambassadors' Staircase, the only ceremonial route to the Great Royal Apartments. This was done to build apartments for the daughters of Louis XV.

One of the gates

Inviolability of power. French royal court.

In the decoration of the gate there are symbols of the “sun” king

Golden Gate.

Palace of Versailles; Saint Leu stone,

There have been no significant changes in the Park compared to the times of Louis XIV; Louis XV's only legacy to the parks of Versailles is the completion of the Basin of Neptune between 1738 and 1741 (Verlet, 1985). In the last years of his reign, Louis XV, on the advice of the architect Gabriel, began reconstructing the facades of the courtyards of the Palace. According to another project, the Palace was to receive classical facades from the city side. This project of Louis XV also continued throughout the reign of Louis XVI, and was only completed in the twentieth century (Verlet, 1985).

Hall of Mirrors

All accounts related to the construction of the palace have survived to this day. The amount taking into account all expenses is 25,725,836 livres (1 livre corresponded to 409 g of silver), which in total amounted to 10,500 tons of silver or 456 million guilders for 243 g of silver / Conversion to modern value is practically impossible. Based on the price of silver at 250 euros per kg, the construction of the palace absorbed 2.6 billion euros / Based on the purchasing power of the then guilder as 80 euros, the construction cost 37 billion euros. Putting the cost of building the palace in relation to the state budget of France in the 17th century, the modern sum is 259.56 billion euros.

Palace facade. Clock of Louis 14.
Almost half of this amount was spent on creating interior decoration. The best masters of the era Jacob, Jean Joseph Chapuis created luxurious boiserie. [source not specified 859 days] These expenses were spread over 50 years, during which the construction of the Palace of Versailles, completed in 1710, took place.

Emperor Augustus

Roman busts

The site of the future construction required a huge amount of excavation work. Recruiting workers from surrounding villages was difficult. Peasants were forced to become “builders.” To increase the number of workers on the construction of the palace, the king banned all private construction in the surrounding area. Workers were often imported from Normandy and Flanders. Almost all orders were carried out through tenders; contractors' expenses exceeding those initially named were not paid. In times of peace, the army was also involved in the construction of the palace. Finance Minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert kept an eye on frugality. The forced presence of the aristocracy at court was an additional precaution on the part of Louis XIV, who thus ensured complete control over the activities of the aristocracy. Only at court was it possible to obtain ranks or posts, and those who left lost their privileges
Fountains of Versailles

On May 5, 1789, representatives of the nobility, clergy and bourgeoisie gathered at the Palace of Versailles. After the king, who by law was given the right to convene and dissolve such events, closed the meeting for political reasons, the deputies from the bourgeoisie declared themselves the National Assembly and retired to the Ball House. After 1789, it was possible to maintain the Palace of Versailles only with difficulty.

Architectural elements of the palace decoration
On October 5-6, 1789, first a crowd from the Parisian suburbs, and then the National Guard under the command of Lafayette, came to Versailles demanding that the king and his family, as well as the National Assembly, move to Paris. Submitting to forceful pressure, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, their relatives and deputies moved to the capital. After this, the importance of Versailles as the administrative and political center of France decreased and was not subsequently restored.
Since the time of Louis Philippe, many halls and rooms began to be restored, and the palace itself became an outstanding national historical museum, which exhibited busts, portraits, battle paintings and other works of art mainly of historical value.

Proclamation of the German Empire in 1871

The Palace of Versailles was of great importance in German-French history. After the defeat of France in the Franco-Prussian War, it was the seat of the main headquarters of the German army from October 5, 1870 to March 13, 1871. On January 18, 1871, the German Empire was proclaimed in the Gallery of Mirrors, and its Kaiser was Wilhelm I. This place was deliberately chosen to humiliate the French.

A peace treaty with France was signed on February 26, also at Versailles. In March, the evacuated French government moved the capital from Bordeaux to Versailles, and only in 1879 again to Paris.
At the end of the First World War, a preliminary truce was concluded at the Palace of Versailles, as well as the Treaty of Versailles, which the defeated German Empire was forced to sign. This time, the historical site was chosen by the French to humiliate the Germans.

The harsh conditions of the Treaty of Versailles (including huge indemnity payments and admission of sole guilt) fell heavily on the shoulders of the young Weimar Republic. Because of this, it is widely believed that the consequences of the Treaty of Versailles were the basis for the future rise of Nazism in Germany.

Marble courtyard of Versailles
After World War II, the Palace of Versailles became the site of German-French reconciliation. This is evidenced by the celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Elysee Treaty, which took place in 2003. Palace of Versailles

The following kings and members of their families were born in the Palace of Versailles: Philip V (King of Spain), Louis XV, Louis XVI,
Many palaces in Europe were built under the undoubted influence of Versailles. These include the Sanssouci castles in Potsdam, Schönbrunn in Vienna, the Great Palaces in Peterhof, the Rapti Estate in Luga, Gatchina and Rundale (Latvia), as well as other palaces in Germany, Austria and Italy.

Bust of Louis XIV by Gianlorenzo Bernini

Busts in the Hall of Mirrors

Buste de Louis XV, Jean-Baptiste II Lemoyne (1749), apartments of the Dauphin, Louis 15

Madame Clotilde

Buste de Charles X, 1825, François-Joseph Bosio

Marie Antoinette

François Paul Brueys

Salle des croisades

Sleeping Ariadne

Escalier Gabriel

Petit_appartment_du_roi

Ceiling of the lobby

Entrance from the lobby

Lobby

Salle des gardes de la reine

Salon Louis 14, medallion depicting a Roman legionnaire

Salon de Venus, Louis XIV en empereur romain, Jean Varin

Coat of arms of Louis Phillipe

Reception of the Persian ambassadors by Louis XIV, COYPEL Antoine

Creator:Claude Guy Hallé (Français, 1652-1736)

The Sun King, Jean-Léon Gérôme (Français, 1824-1904)

Ambassador Ladder Model

Staircase.ambassadors

lobby decor,

Marie Josephine of Saxony and the Count of Burgundy, Maurice Quentin de Latour (author)

La remise de l "Ordre du Saint-Esprit, Nicolas Lancret (1690-1743)

Allegories, ceiling paintings,

Royal bedchamber in gold.

Blue office

Marie Antoinette

Bed Madame Pompadour

Napoleon's chambers

Angels, ceiling of the reception room

Petit_appartment_du_roi

Library

Large office,

Diana's salon

Hercules

Mirror gallery

Coat of arms of Louis 14

Josse-François-Joseph Leriche, Queen's toilet

Versailles of Louis XIII

Could Louis XIII, who built a modest hunting lodge in Versailles, know that his son and successor, the great Sun King, would turn this place so dear to him into a symbol of absolute monarchy, into a miracle of architecture, the luxury and splendor of which no palace in the world could surpass?

Louis XIII built a hunting lodge near the village of Versailles, pursuing completely different goals. Louis XIII was not even six years old when, on August 24, 1607, he, being only the Dauphin, came to Versailles for the first time with his father Henry IV for falconry. Hunting trips with his father to Versailles were not erased from the Dauphin’s memory; Having become king, he will prefer the lands of Versailles and Saint-Germain to all other places for hunting.

At that time, the village of Versailles included about 500 people, a modest church was dedicated to Saint Julien, a windmill rose on a hill, and tired hunters, including Henry IV, stopped for the night at four inns. The Versailles domain was ruled by Henri de Gondi, Bishop of Paris, whose nephew subsequently, having become an adult, ceded this land to his other uncle Jean-François de Gondi, Archbishop of Paris and the last owner of Versailles from the Gondi family.

The village was surrounded by the magnificent forests of the Ile-de-France, full of game, endless fields and marshes - an ideal place for hunting at any time of the year. Located 17 kilometers from Paris, it was located quite close to Saint-Germain, one of the most favorite residences of Louis XIII. When the hunt dragged on until late and there was no way to return to Paris, the king rode to Saint-Germain or stopped at one of the inns of Versailles or in a dilapidated old castle belonging to the Gondi family, where he slept without undressing on an armful of straw. He often spent the night at the windmill.

The king soon became tired of this state of affairs, and he bought 40 hectares of land from 16 different owners in the winter of 1623-1624. Deciding that the time had come to build a small hunting lodge in Versailles. An unknown architect erected a U-shaped building on the hill, 24 meters long and 6 meters wide, made of pink brick, white stone and blue tiles. Louis XIII constantly came to Versailles to monitor the progress of work.

By summer the house became inhabitable, and the king lived there from June 28 to July 5. On August 2, he arrived at Versailles from Saint-Germain at 8:30 a.m. to supervise the delivery of furniture and kitchen utensils purchased especially for him by Monsieur de Blainville, the first nobleman of the house.

The king occupied 4 rooms in the house; Louis's apartment consisted of a bedroom, an office, a dressing room and a reception room. These rooms would later be occupied by Louis XIV, who wanted to live in his father's apartment.

The bedroom furnishings were rather modest. There was only the most necessary: ​​a bed, two chairs, six benches, a table. In the evening, candles were lit in silver and crystal candlesticks. Five tapestries decorated the walls; the bed curtains, carpet, curtains and upholstery were made of green damask fabric. In the study, eight tapestries reproduced the story of Mark Antony. A little later, the gallery leading to the king's bedroom will be decorated with a large painting depicting the capture of La Rochelle.

The king tried to come to Versailles as often as possible. The retinue accompanying him was always extremely small. Of the courtiers, Louis occasionally invited only Claude de Rouvroy, the future Duke de Saint-Simon, the Duke de Montbazon, M. de Souvres, the Comte de Berengen, Michel Luc, personal secretary, the Marquis d'Aumont, the Comte de Praslin, the Comte de Soissons and the Duke of Mortemart. The last two usually slept on the first floor, in the room of the captain of the guards.

It must be said that the courtiers considered it a great honor to be invited by the king to hunt at Versailles, but such trips were associated with great inconvenience for them. Louis XIII was a tireless and fearless hunter; he could gallop through fields and forests for seventeen hours in a row in any weather, which was extremely tiring for his companions. Moreover, it was often the difficulties caused by bad weather conditions that could force him to go hunting, and no amount of persuasion could force the king to change his decision. In addition, in the hunting lodge in Versailles, the amenities were minimal and could not satisfy the demanding nobles, faced with the need to share them with a king indifferent to comfort.

There were no rooms provided for either the Queen Mother or the Queen Reigning. However, several times they still came to Versailles for one day, without ever spending the night there.

A typical day for the king in Versailles is described by his physician Héroir: “On October 12, 1624, he woke up at 6 o’clock in the morning, had breakfast at 7 o’clock and went deer hunting. At 10 o'clock he returned, soaked through, changed his clothes and changed his shoes. At 11 o'clock I had lunch, mounted my horse and again chased the deer, reaching Porschefontaine. Returned to Versailles at 6 o'clock in the evening."

Versailles became for the king not only a place where he could find shelter after a hunt. The king hid in a hunting lodge when life in the Louvre became completely unbearable for him. Under the pretext of hunting, he tried to go there as often as possible in order to take a break from the court and hide his emotions from outside witnesses.

Meanwhile, in 1631, Louis XIII decided to expand his holdings at Versailles and enlarge his house. On April 8, 1632, he bought from Jean-François de Gondi for 70,000 livres the entire seigneury of Versailles, along with the ruins of the old castle of Gondi, which he wanted to completely demolish in order to expand the park.

On August 15, 1634, construction was completed. The main building, in which the king's apartments were located, had five windows on the first and second floors overlooking the courtyard; There were also five windows in two parallel wings that now border the Marble Courtyard. The four outer corners of the castle were decorated with four identical pavilions. On the courtyard side, a portico with seven arches covered with bars connected the two wings. The house was surrounded by a moat without water; the gardens were expanded by Jacques de Mener and included a vegetable garden and a ballroom. In 1639, the gardens were redesigned by Claude Mollet and Hilaire Masson.

Versailles was for Louis XIII not only a hunting lodge, but also a place where no one could come without his permission. In April 1637, the king was tormented by severe emotional distress. The tender and sincere love that connected him with Mademoiselle de Lafayette was doomed, and he understood this perfectly well, but, exhausted by constant persecution from the court and remorse, he decided to take an unexpected action. Madame de Motteville writes in her Memoirs: “This great king, so wise and so constant in his courage, nevertheless experienced moments of weakness, during which he hurried her<Луизу де Лафайет>so that she would agree to his proposal to take her to Versailles, where she would live under his protection. This proposal, so contrary to his usual feelings, forced her to leave the court.” Mademoiselle de Lafayette, deeply in love with the king, was afraid that she would not be able to resist her feelings and would destroy the soul of her lover by agreeing to his proposal to move to Versailles. Fearing that she would give in if the king continued to ask her to do so, nineteen-year-old Louise de Lafayette entered a convent. To hide his grief, Louis XIII went to Versailles, which never became a refuge of love. In 1643, sensing the approach of death, Louis XIII said: “If God restores me to health, immediately after my Dauphin can mount a horse and reaches the age of majority, he will take my place, and I will retire to Versailles and think only about the salvation of the soul."

After the death of the king, which occurred on May 14, 1643, Versailles would remain without an owner for eighteen years. Louis XIV will order to preserve his father's hunting lodge intact, making it the heart of the new ensemble.

Builders of a great masterpiece

Four people assisted the king in the construction of Versailles: Colbert, Levo, Le Nôtre and Lebrun. Without them, the grandiose project would never have been realized; however, despite the numerous and undoubted merits of all four, the main inspirer and driving force of the project was still Louis. He knew well what he wanted. Thanks to Mazarin, who surrounded him with beautiful things since childhood, the king developed good taste. Year by year he became more and more refined, and this left its mark on all his affairs.

After his death, Mazarin left the king all his property: paintings, books, houses, eighteen huge diamonds known as les Mazarins, and money (and also, he might add, his nieces). All this was nothing compared to another priceless treasure - Colbert. He was the most remarkable minister in the history of France. He was born in 1619 into the family of a wool merchant in Reims. His coat of arms was a modest grass snake, in contrast to Fouquet's squirrel, which strives to climb ever higher. Unlike Fouquet, a merry fellow and a rake, Colbert was restrained and strict. He frowned more often than he smiled, and never tried to please. But everyone always knew what to expect from him. When someone, in the hope of avoiding any taxation, went straight to the king, bypassing Colbert, then at the end of the courteous reception he could hear from Louis: “Monsieur, you need to pay!” Therefore, most petitioners preferred to communicate with the gloomy-looking Colbert. Even at a fairly young age, he realized that economics is a sure, albeit not very fast, path to power; and began his career by putting in order Mazarin’s personal affairs, which were terribly neglected; then, still in the service of the cardinal, he became involved in public finance. When the king was a child, Colbert taught him how to keep accounts; Louis became the first king of France who knew how to do this on his own. Colbert hated Versailles, but only he was able to obtain the amount necessary for its construction. The money immediately disappeared, like water into sand. Having learned that the king was going to settle in Versailles, the financier resigned himself to the inevitable and began to think about how to use this expensive structure wisely and for the benefit of the country.

Colbert was an amazing person; he was distinguished by his deep knowledge of literature, science and art, although he probably himself considered these areas of human knowledge not the most important in life, something like an application to trade. By promoting the development of science in France, the financier did this primarily with the aim of attracting world markets. The minister founded a French school of painting and sculpture in Rome at the Villa Medici, opened an observatory in Paris and invited the astronomer Cassini to work there; he also bought books to replenish the royal library and, finally, as superintendent of construction, supervised the reconstruction of Versailles.

Although Colbert was twenty years older than the king, he treated his monarch with reverent awe. Leaving So's country house, this influential and powerful man, who kept the whole of France in fear, took a piece of bread with him to the park and threw it across the canal. If the bread fell on the other side, it meant that Louis XIV would be in a good mood; if the bread fell on the other side, Colbert had no doubt that a thunderstorm could not be avoided.

Lebrun was born the same year as Colbert and worked with him most of his life: They were similar in that they did not disdain any work. Le Brun was found by Chancellor Séguier when he was ten years old, and he was drawing scenes from the Apocalypse on tracing paper. He received his first serious order in 1649; he was to decorate the Hôtel Lambert, the Parisian home of a wealthy government official. He then worked for Fouquet at Vaux-le-Vicomte; in 1662, the king made him the chief court artist and entrusted him with the decorative decoration of Versailles. In addition, Lebrun was the director of a large tapestry factory, which was engaged not only in the production of woven carpets, but also almost all the furniture for Versailles. Lebrun, although not one of the first-class painters, was an excellent designer. Almost all the furniture and decoration of the palace: chairs, tables, carpets, decoration, decorative panels for walls, silver, tapestries and even keyholes were made according to his original sketches; he painted the ceilings in the Gallery of Mirrors, as well as in the halls of War and Peace, the facade of the small royal house in Marly. Lebrun created nasal decorations for galleys and decorations for holidays. In addition, he managed to paint huge canvases on religious and mythological themes. He loved allegories and battle scenes, but was rather indifferent to nature.

Reconstruction of the castle from 1661 to 1668 was carried out by the architect Levo. Le Brun and Levo worked in perfect harmony. Levo's most famous buildings are the Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Lambert Hotel and the Institut de France, designed by the architect after his death. Much of his work at Versailles was obscured in later times by the work of the architect Mansart. Levo left the eastern façade of brick and stone in its original form, but added two wings to it; on the approach to the building, he erected a number of pavilions intended for ministers.

Le Nôtre was born into a gardener's family and was destined to become a royal gardener himself. His grandfather looked after the parks of Marie de Medici; his father was the head gardener at the Tuileries; the husband of one of his sisters grew a young garden for Anne of Austria, and the husband of the second took care of her orange trees. Le Nôtre dreamed of becoming an artist and began life in Voye's studio, but soon returned to gardening. He succeeded his father in the Tuileries and gave the parks there a new look. Fouquet noticed him and invited him to Vaud, where the result of his work did not leave the Sun King indifferent, who immediately appointed him chief manager of all his parks. We owe him not only the gardens of Versailles, but also the parks of Chantilly, Saint-Cloud, Marly, Sceaux; The creation of his hands is the famous terrace in Saint-Germain-aux-Layes, as well as numerous private parks and gardens, and the magnificent wide avenue Champs Elysees, which begins at the Louvre. The city of Versailles was also built according to his design.

Le Nôtre carried an interest in painting and art throughout his life. His home in the Tuileries was replete with beautiful things, including Chinese porcelain. When leaving home, he left the keys on a nail so that art connoisseurs who came in his absence would not be disappointed and could admire the magnificent collection.

Quentini played an equally significant role in the arrangement of Versailles. He planted a vegetable garden. He first worked as a lawyer in Poitiers, but his real passion was vegetables and fruits. His book on gardening and horticulture can be considered one of the best publications on this topic; it awakens in the reader a passion for gardening; his advice is detailed and simple so that even a child can understand them.

The king adored Quentini. He elevated him to the nobility and gave him a house in the garden, where he often visited for a walk. Today, the garden and vegetable garden remain almost unchanged, including the gate marked “Public”, through which residents of Versailles entered to take free vegetables.

Quentini pears existed in Versailles until 1963, when the last two trees had to be dug up. In the 19th century, many of them still bear fruit and survive the winters that killed other fruit trees.

So, after 1661, Louis XIV wanted his own palace, which in its splendor and luxury would surpass other castles in France and even Europe. The king chose Versailles, a small village with a population of five hundred people, where the small hunting castle of Louis XIII was located, as the construction site. The best architects, sculptors, and artists of the 17th century worked on the construction; huge sums of money were spent on the construction of the castle. But the Sun King spares nothing. What led to the construction of Versailles, as we see, was Louis’s desire to have his own, unique palace, which was supposed to be proof of the glory and power of the king.

Finances of France and the Palace of Versailles

When it comes to the money spent on Versailles construction projects, historians unanimously agree that the palace cost enormous sums. And if we take into account the cost of interior decoration, we get colossal numbers. Although the Comptroller General of Finance, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, tried to instill in the king a penchant for frugality, the desire for the king's glory came at a cost.

Before Colbert became superintendent of construction, from 1661 to 1663, Versailles had already cost one and a half million (in four years it absorbed what Fontainebleau had eaten in 17 years). Almost all of this amount was used, apparently without any measure, to create parks. The king bought, increased, expanded, rounded out his possessions. He comes up with swimming pools, new parterres, a greenhouse, bosquets. In 1664, Versailles cost the construction administration 781,000 livres; next year - 586,000.

Colbert was undoubtedly concerned about these numerous expenses. He was worried and even angry. The letter he wrote to the king (September 1665) sounds alarming. “If Your Majesty wishes to discover traces of glory at Versailles, where more than five hundred thousand crowns have been spent in two years, you will undoubtedly be disappointed if you do not find it.”

Colbert still believed in the future of the Louvre and the Tuileries. At this time, Lorenzo Bernini, sculptor, artist, architect, author of the colonnade at the Cathedral of St., had already arrived in Paris. Peter, monuments to Popes Urban VIII and Alexander VII. He had to make the Louvre the most beautiful palace in the world.

But more and more money is spent on Versailles every year. If in 1668 339,000 livres from the budget of the Ministry of Construction were spent on construction, in 1669 spending reached 676,000 livres, and in 1671 - up to 2,621,000 livres. Beginning in 1670, new furniture appeared in the palace, decorated with silver overlays, and His Majesty's bedroom was covered with gold brocade.

To get an idea of ​​what the livre was then (divided into 20 soles and 240 deniers) at the end of the 17th century, we will give several examples. In the cities, an unskilled worker could earn from 6 to 10 soles per day when there was work; qualified (cabinet maker, mechanic, stonecutter) – 20 soles. Day laborers in rural areas, when they found work (150 days a year), received 5-6 soles per day. A parish curate who lived without hassle could receive from 300 to 400 livres a year, that is, 20 soles for a full day's work. It can also be assumed that the modest family lived on 25 livres a month. Thus, calculating the average annual income of such a family, we get: per year on the construction of Versailles (data from 1664), not counting expenses on interior decoration, as much money was spent as would be enough for the comfortable living of 3,000 families.

Versailles can be called, in the full sense of the word, a peacetime construction site. After all, construction work began to pick up and the largest financial investments took place just at the time when peace was being concluded. Let's compare some numbers. During the War of Devolution, Versailles cost the state 536,000 francs over two years. As soon as peace came, expenses immediately increased. In 1671, Versailles cost 676,000 francs. Over the five war years, from 1673 to 1677 inclusive, the amount spent on Versailles construction projects amounted to 4,066,000 livres. As soon as the conclusion of the Nimwegen Peace had occurred, the monarch no longer saw any reason to save. In 1679, Versailles expenses rise to 4,886,000 francs, and in 1680 they reach 5,641,000 francs. With the beginning of the Ten Years' War, major construction projects stopped. In the documents of the Construction Ministry you can see a report on the amounts spent on Versailles (excluding water supply): in 1685 - 6,104,000, in 1686 - 2,520,000, in 1687 - 2,935,000. Preparations for war are in full swing, and therefore costs are sharply reduced in 1688: 1976,000 livres. And then, for nine whole years, from 1689 to 1697 inclusive, Versailles cost France only 2,145,000 livres. Between 1661 and 1715, Versailles, including the castle and office premises, cost 68,000,000 francs.

We must not forget that Versailles is not the only palace built at this time. Numerous other construction projects were also taking place in Paris. Until 1670, contributions for the construction of Parisian palaces were twice as large as those provided to Versailles. Since 1670 the situation has changed.

And in 1684, the Ministry of Finance allocated 34,000 francs for just one housing for workers. The statistics are certainly impressive!

But if you think about it again, these expenses do not seem so astronomical in comparison with the costs of wars and with the degree of political and artistic flowering the court reached during the time of the great king and further, throughout the entire age of Enlightenment. One cannot say it better than Pierre Verlet: “Everyone will agree that Louis XIV, by giving us Versailles, enriched France... The expenses of the great king gave the world a castle that one cannot help but admire.”