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Far from having been pillaged by a rampant mob as might be imagined, the Palace of Versailles came through the period of the French Revolution relatively unscathed, even though some would not have minded seeing such a key symbol of the monarchical system laid to waste.
Since 1979, the Palace of Versailles has been listed as a World Heritage and is one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century art. Louis XIII's old hunting pavilion was transformed and extended by his son, Louis XIV, when he installed the Court and government there in 1682.
The Hall of Mirrors, King’s Grand Apartments, Museum of the History of France, explore the Château de Versailles, its gardens, the Grand Trianon and Marie-Antoinette’s domain.
The history of the French Parliamentary Republic is closely tied to the history of the Palace of Versailles, since all the debates of the parliamentary assemblies at the beginning of the Third Republic were held here, on this famous site dating from the Ancien Régime.
The Palace of Versailles, whose origins date back to the seventeenth century, was successively a hunting lodge, a seat of power and , from the nineteenth century , a museum. With the gardens and the Palaces of Trianon, the park of the Château de Versailles spreads over 800 hectares.
The history of the Palace of Versailles starts at the 17th century. It was first a hunting lodge, then a seat of power, and finally, from the 19th century onwards, a museum. Composed of the Palace, the gardens, the Park, the Trianon estate and several buildings in town, today the Estate of Versailles spreads over more than 800 hectares.
The Gallery of the History of the Palace was completely redesigned in 2023 to promote a better understanding of the history of the Palace of Versailles and the various modifications made to it over more than four centuries.
Queen of France 1755-1793. Described by her brother, Emperor Joseph II, as “honest and lovable,” Marie Antoinette was an Austrian princess and the wife of King Louis XVI. She remains one of the most iconic characters in Versailles’ rich history.
Louis XIV continues to embody the Grand Siècle, synonymous with the splendour of Versailles and the glory of France. Discover the exhibition website. The reign of Louis XIV is often referred to as “Le Grand Siècle” (the Great Century), forever associated with the image of an absolute monarch and a strong, centralised state.
King of France and Navarre 1754 - 1793. Louis XVI’s reign will forever be associated with the outbreak of the French Revolution and the end of Versailles’ royal era. Upon coming to the throne in 1774, Louis XVI inherited a kingdom beset with serious problems.
