Today, I visited one of the most famous castles in Europe: the Chateau de Versailles. I had not been there in probably 20 some years. I’m not going to write its entire history, it would be too long and you can read about it on the internet. So I’ll just give you some tidbits.
The Palace of Versailles was the home of King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette, who ruled France. King Louis XIV declared himself as the state and the Sun God (Roi Soleil). The entire Versailles site (the palace and the gardens) is set on 19,262 acres, which is larger than the island of Manhattan.
The Chapel took 28 years to complete (from 1682 to 1710) because Louis XIV demanded absolute perfection in design, construction and materials. Towering above the roofline of the palace, the Chapel is by far the most notable aspect of the palace architecturally. Louis viewed the Chapel as a statement of his devotion to the Catholic church, and a statement of the Church's supremacy in France. Thus, perfection was required. The entire complex was completed with the ultimate in opulence and luxury. The Queen's bedchamber was one of the largest rooms in the private apartments because protocol required her to give birth in public. During the birth of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's first child, the doctor panicked when 200 courtiers pushed into the room.
One of the most important modern day event that took place at Versailles was the signing of the treaty to end WWI. The Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, was signed in the Hall of Mirrors. This famous Hall contains 17 large chandeliers and 26 smaller ones each made of solid silver and a total of 1000 candles.
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