The palace of Versailles

The palace of Versailles

The palace of Versailles was the official residence of the king of France from 1682 until 1790. It was originallu hunting lodge, built in 1642, by Louis XIII. It was expanded by Louis XIV beginning in 1669. He used it as little lodge as a secret refuge for his amorous trysts with the lovely Louise de la Valliere and built a fairy tale park around it. Jules Harouin Mansart, the king’s principal architect ,drew the plans to enlarge what was turning more and more into a palace from A Thousand and One Nights. The terrace that overlooked the gardens was removed to make way for the magnificent hall of mirrors ,the Galarie de Glaces. It ishere from which the king radatedhis power and the destiny of Europe was decided over a century, The French architecture was complemented by extensive gardens.

In 1682, Louis XIV chose Versailles as the fixed residence of the sovereigns. Versailles became the superb Baroque palace known to the world as a symbol of civilization and pleasure.

The palace was stripped of most of its furnishings during the French Revolution, and Tuileries in Paris became the royal residence. Versailles is now a national museum.

Marie-Antoinette

Described by her brother, the emperor Joseph Il, as likable and honest, MarieAntoinette, Austrian princess and wife of Louis WI, remains one of the most

fascinating figures of the history of Versailles. Dedicated to the organization of the courtls entertainments, surrounded by her coterie and reluctant to observe the ceremonial niceties imposed by her function, the queen progressively attracted the of public opinion up to her tragic during the French Revolution.

Daughter to Lorraine, emperor of the German Holy Empire, and Maria

Theresa of Habsburg, archduchess of Austria, Marie-Antoinette was born in Vienna on 2 November 1755. Her marriage to the future Louis WI, on 16 May 1770, was partly the work of the Minister Choiseul, one of the principal players in the Franco-Austrian But this union was greeted with some retiænce by public opinion, marked by the long years of war against Austria. The wedding ceremonies in Versailles of the Royal Opera room where, years later, she was to meet her supposed lover Axel de Fersen.

Louis XVI entrusted her with the task of entertaining the court. With her flair for entertaining, the queen organized theatrical performances two or three times a week and revived the grand balls. She also led the court in play in the Salon de la Paix and played billiards and cards with great enthusiasm. Marie-Antoinete

was a music-lover and played the harp. An art-lover also, she took under her proteion the Riesener, the celebrated , as well as the

Elisabeth who largely owed hercareer as portrait painter to the queen painted thirty porraits of herpatroness . The queen also a bt of her and received daily

advice on the choice of her dresses from her dressmaker and designer Rose Bettin. Her hairdresser, Lemard, devised the hairstyles with feathers that she adored.