Versailles

A rainy Paris start to our day, we walk to the train station and head to Versailles:

The weather is slightly better in Versailles --

But, before we start with our trip through the palace and gardens, I need to state the following:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,  that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . . ."

 

Okay, now we can start . . . .

 

 

The umbrellas "storming" the palace -- this is a very popular place for everyone to visit!

 

 

Three kings lived in Versailles:  Louis XIV from 1643 to 1715; Louis XV from 1715 - 1774, and Louis XVI 1774-1792.  Louis XIV was considered France's greatest king and reigned during France's dominance over Europe - 18 million people, booming economy and a powerful military.  Who could ask for more?  Oh, you want a palace, too . . . ?

 

 

The open-air courtyard inside the golden Royal Gate.  From here, we entered the Chateau which had the state apartments. 

 

The rooms in the palace are over-decorated with elaborately painted ceilings, enormous paintings depicting mythological and Christian stories, chandeliers, and larger-than-life furniture and furnishings.  Below, I have included a few photos from a few of these rooms.  This first one is the Royal Chapel where Louis XIV and family attended Mass. 

 

Hercules Drawing Room:  apparently, the "party" room. 

 Mars Room:  this red room was home to Louis' Swiss bodyguards.

 

 

 Mercury Room:  Louis' "official" [i.e., not used] bedroom set up to show his subjects how a bedroom should look. 

 

War Room ceiling - homage to Louis' addiction to wars -- the paintings depict his "victories" over the rest of Europe.

 Hall of Mirrors - this room was stunning when finished because mirrors were a luxury still.  The hall is 250 feet long, with 17 arched mirrors, matched by 17 windows opposite looking over the gardens.  There are 24 gilded candelabra, eight busts of Roman emperors, and eight classical-style statutes.  The ceiling is painted to show Louis in the central panel "triumphing."

 

 Louis XIV believed he could also control nature, so he established elaborate gardens demonstrating his complete control.  Here are a few of them -- those of you with riding lawn mowers may feel the itch to head over here:

 

 

 We have a lovely lunch in one of the gardens before we say goodbye to Versailles -

 

 

I hope you enjoyed these photos -- they truly do not do the palace justice -- but hopefully you were able to get a little taste of the royal grandeur before the revolution in the 1790's . . . . .