Born in 1638, son of Louis XIII and Anne of Austria, an infante of Spain, Louis XIV became king at the age of five on his father’s death. Too young to reign, power was exercised by his mother aided by the cardinal-minister Mazarin, a clever Italian politician and lover of art, who had considerable influence over the prince’s education. This period of the Regency was troubled by a revolt of the Greats and of Parliament, called the Fronde. Louis XIV, who was then about ten, would always remember this. In 1661, on Mazarin’s death, he announced that he would govern alone and removed the princes and high nobility from the royal council to surround himself with ministers that owed everything to him. For all his long reign he worked every day on the affairs of state because he loved what he called his “business of being king”.
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Palace of Versailles, France
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© christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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© christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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©christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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The King bedroom © christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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Louis XV office © christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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Royal Chapel © christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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Garden facade © christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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Facade side south flowerbed © christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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The Grand Canal latone © christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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Pond of Latone © christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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Copse of three fountains © christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
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© christian-Milet
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles represents an exceptional example of French art from the 17th and 18th centuries and its architectural design respects the traditional canons of classicism: the symmetrical design; the colonnaded facades; the choice of antique or mythological sculpted figures. A few baroque touches add a note of fantasy to its strict classical style. The Old Palace and the New Palace together form an approximate U shape. Two long wings extend this ensemble northwards and southwards. They were built by another architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, but they reflect and respect Le Vau’s overall concept. The Palace is composed of a series of architecturally harmonious elements which house more than 2000 rooms.
Public Establishment of the Museum and National Estate of Versailles
Château de Versailles Pavillon Dufour
78008 Versailles
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www.chateauversailles.fr
The National Estate of Versailles and the Trianon has been an official public establishment with complete financial and managerial independence since 1995. It is currently under the authority of the Ministry of Culture and Communication. At its head is Jean-Jacques Aillagon, President of the Public Establishment, assisted by a board of governors, a managing director and an administrative director.
Louis XIV transformed a small castle that his father had built in the countryside, at Versailles, into an immense residence. For the first time in history, the king, the court and the government lived all together, in one and the same place.
Versailles is a formidable tool of “absolute monarchy”, according to which all power is concentrated in the king and exercised only by those to whom he entrusts it (and who he can keep an eye on because they are close to him).
Continue reading The palace Versailles, symbol of absolute monarchy