Thursday, November 5, 2009

Versailles in Paris

Versailles in Paris is one of the most popular attractions in France. It is a beautiful place with remarkable architecture, beautiful interiors and stunning landscaped gardens. Not surprising, many tourists around the world want to embark on a Versailles tour to see for themselves the beauty and grandeur of the famous Versailles palace.

The château de Versailles symbolised the great power of the French monarchy. It was built in 1624 as a hunting lodge for Louis XIII. Later, it was developed by Louis XIV and became the largest palace in Europe. For the development of this project, Louis XIV had engaged architects Louis Le Vau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, painter Charles Le Brun and landscaper André Le Nôtre. By 1774, after alterations by Louis XV and XVI, it became a grand and huge place, housing more than 10,000 courtiers and servants.

The Versailles palace possesses a stunning combination of wonderful paintings, special mirrors, exclusive fabrics and fantastic interiors. The main highlights of the château are the King's State Bedroom, Queen's Bedroom, Hall of Mirrors and Chapelle Royale. The main apartments are located on the first floor of the château. The first floor of the Chapelle Royale was reserved for use by the royal family whilst the ground floor by the court. The interior of the Chapelle Royalle are beautifully decorated. Great state occasions used to be held in the Hall of Mirrors, which is a magnificent multi-mirrored room, with a length of about 73m.

Apart from the château, there are the Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, Hameau de la Reine (Queen's Hamlet) and the vast gardens. The Grand Trianon at Versailles was built by Louis XIV in 1687. It is a small place for him to escape from the formal duties of the château and enjoy the company of his mistress, Madame de Maintenon. This building is made of stone and pink marble. The Petit Trianon, another building, was built in 1762 as a retreat for Louis XV. The Hameau de la Reine (Queen's Hamlet) was built at the request of Queen Marie-Antoinette, who wanted a refuge from the daily tasks of the chateau. It was a farm with orchards and fields which used to produce food for the royal table.

The vast gardens in Versailles span an area of approximately 8 sq km. The gardens are formed by structured patterns and consist of pathways, shrubberies, flowerbeds, pools and fountains. Furthermore, there are many beautiful statues which form part of the attractions of the gardens. These sculptures are being covered up during the winter months.

If you wish to explore thoroughly the historical and architectural heritage of the Versailles palace, you will need to spend more than a day in Versailles. On Saturdays and Sundays, during the period from April to September, you will be able to see the fountains dance according to music. An extra is fee charged to enter the gardens during this period. The Versailles palace is usually very crowded on Sundays.

Versailles is indeed a remarkable place with grand interiors, beautiful paintings and lovely gardens. You can find many fascinating highlights here. A Versailles tour is necessary to fully appreciate its beauty and grandeur. Without doubt, you will enjoy the wonderful insights this place offers. A Versailles travel destination will certainly give you a wonderful holiday trip! For more information, visit Cheap Flights website now!



0 Comments:

Post a Comment