The Palace of Versailles is a French royal palace in the Ile de France region, about 15 miles southwest of Paris, France, built for King Louis XIV in the late 17th century. The Palace of Versailles required a workforce of about 3,000 people to build the buildings and grounds. The Palace of Versailles has more than 700 rooms, including 1,200 fireplaces and 60 staircases. With today’s money, it would cost about $ 2 billion to build. In 1682 the French government moved to Versailles and lived there for nearly 100 years. In 1789 the masses took over the palace and the French Revolution began.
Designed as a hunting lodge, it would later become a Royal Palace.
King Louis XIV chose to move to Versailles in 1682. He moved from another Royal palace and his home named the Louvre, in Paris.
The Palace contains 2,300 rooms spread over 63,154 m2.
The gardens of the Palace of Versailles cover 30,000+ acres. The gardens included 400 sculptures and 1400 fountains.
The Gardens of Versailles span across 800 hectares, comprised of 1,400 fountains, 400 sculptures, 200,000 trees and 5,57 km canal.
There were two smaller palaces at the Palace of Versailles including the Petit Trianon – which was Marie Antoinette’s personal escape from palace life.
The French Revolution began in Versailles after a mob took over the Palace.
The Palace of Versailles contained more than 5,000 pieces of furniture, and 6,000 paintings.
During the French revolution, the artwork at the palace of Versailles was relocated to Louvre for safe keeping.
The kitchens of the Palace of Versailles were massive. They were also located far from the King’s dining room that food was often cold by the time it arrived.
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 was signed at Versailles, ended the revolutionary war between the British and United States of America and recognized American independence.
There were more than 200 servants in the Palace of Versailles to serve the King of France. Some of the servants had the job of emptying the royal chamber pot (toilet).
The treaty of Versailles signed on 28 June 1919, brought World War I to an end, the treaty was signed in the Hall of Mirrors.
King Louis XIV made everything he did into a ceremony, including waking up in the morning.
The Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles has a total of 357 mirrors.
The Palace of Versailles contains a room called the Hall of Mirrors. The room is one of the most spectacular in the palace and was originally lit with candles (3000).
The apartment of King Louis XIV was originally known as the Apartment of the Planets.
The design of the Palace of Versailles has been copied in various European countries because it was admired so much when it was built in the 1600s.
Louis XIV melted down the chamber pots at the Versailles and used it to Finance his wars against Britain and other European nations.
When the French Revolution began much of the artwork at the Palace of Versailles was moved to the Louvre.
The Venetians ordered the assassination of the Mirror makers for giving away their secrets.
The French people looked at the Palace of Versailles as a symbol of what was wrong with life in France at the time. The nobility and the aristocracy had everything they wanted and more, and the people of France were poor, and often starving.
Palace of Versailles contains around 6,000 paintings and 5,000 pieces of furniture and other objects.
The Palace of Versailles, where the French Revolution began, later became a place to end wars.
It is estimated that approximately more than 4 million people visit Versailles each year.
The signing of the treaty that ended the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 took place at the Palace of Versailles.
Wife of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette built her own estate on the Versailles, called “The Petit Trianon”, Marie Antoinette used this as a personal retreat.
The end of World War I was officially ended in 1919 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. The treaty was signed in the Hall of Mirrors.
The apartment used by Queen Marie-Antoinette included a hidden door in the bedchamber, which she used to escape a mob during the Revolution.
World War II caused damage to some parts of the palace and the gardens. Efforts to restore the damaged portions have been mostly successful, but very expensive.
Palace of Versailles kitchens and the King’s dining room were located quite far away from each other, as a result, the kings’ meals were often served cold.
It is estimated that approximately 5 million people visit the Palace of Versailles each year as tourists, and between 8 and 10 million people walks the gardens of the palace each year.
The Palace of Versailles would cost over £2 billion to constructed in today’s money.
