Palace of versailles when was it finished

Only at the start of his personal reign after the Fronde civil wars and the death of Mazarin did Louis XIV begin to frequent Versailles, which he then considered merely as a place of leisure.

Construction work began immediately, led by architect Louis Le Vau. Two symmetrical apartments were created for the King and Queen Louis XIV had married Maria Theresa of Spain in and several buildings were constructed around the house.

A second stage of development work began in , which was evidently more ambitious. Louis XIII's old castle was covered with a stone 'envelope' which would then form the facade overlooking the gardens.

Moving away from the style of the early 17th century brick and stone facades, slate roofs , which had been used in Paris, in Place des Vosges and Place Dauphine, Le Vau adopted Italian designs with dressed stone facades, colonnades and flat roofs.

Nevertheless, the facade looking towards the town maintained its original design, as if out of respect for Louis XIII, although Louis XIV had never been close to him as a child. However, it was raised and embellished with marble pillars, forged iron balconies and sculptures, while the lead rooftop ornamentation was gilded. This construction of a French-style facade on the courtyard side, with an Italian-style facade facing the gardens, was considered at that time to show a lack of taste.

Yet, this construction work was nothing compared to the work that began in , the year which marked a real turning point for the Kingdom: Louis XIV won the Franco-Dutch War, which resulted in the Peace Treaty of Nijmegen, and, from then on, he could be considered as the most powerful King in Europe.

Crowned king in , he next came in , and his liking for the location only grew stronger. Ideally situated between his principle residence at Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Paris, it was surrounded by woods that were noisy with pheasants, boars and stags. In late the king decided to build a small hunting lodge where he could stay the night and which he first used in June Construction continued until and laid the basis of the Palace we know today.

The king also bought part of the fiefdom of Versailles in These two small palaces, whose architectural style was neither distinctive nor particularly fashionable, were royal residences of leisure. Despite this seemingly humble role, it was here that the Day of the Dupes , a major event in the history of the French crown, culminated in November The king rarely invited guests here and, although the second palace contained apartments for the queen, Anne of Austria never slept in theme because her husband, the king, always ensured she had transport back to Saint-Germain or Paris Besides the pleasures of hunting, Versailles also constituted a location to retreat to, where the king would come in search of solitude, notably after his relationship with his platonic mistress, Mlle de La Fayette, ended in Although the location existed for centuries before the sovereign, Louis XIV developed a genuine liking for Versailles early on, and decided to extend it beyond the chateau that had grown out of the hunting lodge of brick and stone first built by his father.

The King, who could see great things for the chateau and the forests around it, took on the role of architect himself, and built a masterpiece with which he would forever be associated. From then on the young king often found his way back to the chateau, accompanied by his brother, his mother Anne of Austria, and Cardinal Mazarin.

He became so fond of the place that, in shortly after the death of his First Minister, he undertook major works on it. The residence gradually went from being a hunting lodge to a residence for leisure that saw grand parties and entertainmen t held in the gardens such as the ones in , and From it became the main residence of the French Court and government.

Louis XIV moved not only the aristocracy to Versailles, but also the main body of administration. Here, he was primus inter pares amongst the prominent figures of the time, who would spend fortunes on any chance to maintain their position, and who could manage all his policies. King Louis XIV, who loved the outdoors and open spaces, saw much to benefit from in carrying out construction work here and made his palace an expression of power and authority, knowing that glory was conveyed not only by war but also by buildings.

The location played host to prestigious ceremonies, such as the reception of grand ambassadors in the Hall of Mirrors , the Doge of Genoa in , the ambassadors of Siam in , and the embassy of Persia in Likewise, it was in Versailles in November where he accepted the will of Charles II of Spain, which named his second grandson as king of Spain.

When Louis XIV died his palace and estate were far from finished. Nevertheless, over 50 years and after nearly million Livres, he had laid all the foundations, and it was now up to his successors to improve, modify and bring them into line with modern tastes. Versailles entered a long period of neglect. Paid Content How Hong Kong protects its sea sanctuaries. History Magazine These 3,year-old giants watched over the cemeteries of Sardinia.

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Travel A road trip in Burgundy reveals far more than fine wine. Travel My Hometown In L. Travel The last artists crafting a Thai royal treasure. Subscriber Exclusive Content. Why are people so dang obsessed with Mars? Gambling was also a favorite pastime during the reign of all three kings to rule over Versailles. While most of France lived in poverty, fortunes were made and lost at Versailles on a nightly basis. Bribery was common, as were graft and embezzlement.

The royal stables were often the target of corruption, Spawforth writes. French women wielding scythes and banging drums storm the palace of Versailles on October 6, during the French Revolution.

Protests became frequent and pamphlets depicting the debauched gambling, sexual liaisons and wanton spending of the royal family at Versailles appeared across the country. For many French folks, the Austrian-born queen, Marie Antoinette, became a hated symbol of all that was wrong at Versailles. In the lead-up to revolution, rumors of the extravagance and excess of Versailles reached an all-time high.

And so, it is not surprising that when revolution finally came, Versailles was one of the first places attacked.