Palace and Park of Versailles, France

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Château de Versailles
Author: Harry (Copyleft)

The Palace of Versailles was the main residence of French kings from Louis XIV to Louis XVI. It was the work of generations of the best architects, sculptors, landscape designers and interior decorators of France. The Palace of Versailles and its vast surrounding park provides a model for other royal residences in the subsequent century.

Chapelle Royale, Château de Versailles
Author: Yohanntd (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Versailes became the center of political power in France beginning in 1682, when King Louis XIV relocated from Paris. The royal château in Versailles continued to be the home of French kings until 1789, when the royal family was forced to return to Paris at the start of the French Revolution.

At the time Louis XIV set his eyes on Versailles, it was just a royal hunting lodge in a country village - nothing in comparison to present-day Versailles, which is now a suburb of Paris. From a royal hunting lodge, Louis XIV employed architect Louis Le Vau, landscape architect André Le Nôtre and painter-decorater Charles Le Brun, who embarked on a project to build a palace worthy of the king. Palace and Park of Versailles was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 3rd session of the World Heritage Committee which met in Cairo and Luxor, Egypt, on 22 - 26 October, 1979.

Versailles royal bedroom
Author: charglillkiller (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 48 48 18 E 2 7 10
Inscription Year: 1979
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: I, II, VI

Location Map of Palace and Park of Versailles

Plan of the gardens of Versailles from 1890
Author: Meyers Konversationslexikon (public domain)

Visiting Palace and Park of Versailles

Versailles is on the western edge of Paris. You can get there by taking a train from Paris. Take the RER C5 in the direction of Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, and get off at the Versailles Rive Gauche station.

To avoid having to queue, buy your ticket directly from the Château Versailles website.

Château de Versailles
Author: Simdaperce (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

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