Paris trip 2: Versailles - The Palace

When watching my favorite CD regarding 100 world wonders as a 14-years-olds boy, I have heard about the most luxurious palace in Europe where is commonly known by a magnificent room decorated with mirrors and ceiling paintings. This palace is referred to as the place where we can imagine anything for the life of Western kings centuries ago: luxury, magnificence, art and unusual pleasures. Yes, that is the Palace of Versailles, the place where I have set as a must-visit place in my life.

To satisfy my life target, I decided to spend a whole day in Versailles. A full day here was one of the most unforgettable trips in my Paris journey.

1. The majestic seen from the outside

From the outside, I could clearly feel that this was a royal palace, with large and long buildings elaborately sculpted and “golden” gates. Similar to Asian, Western nobles prefer red color.

2. The Royal Chapel

I call the Royal Chapel as “Little St. Peter's Basilica” (Vatican City) because of the architectural similarity of the two places, that are, the tall dome with the religious paintings on the ceiling, the golden altar, the great organ, the bright and sacred atmosphere.

3. The former owner

Stepping inside Versailles, I saw a lot of busts, paintings and sculptures of the former owner and also the one who ordered to transform this place from a small hunting pavilion into the most luxurious palace in the world, King Louis XIV as known as the Sun King. He seems to be everywhere in this palace.

4. The King’s State Apartment

The King’s State Apartment comprises a series of rooms used for hosting sovereign’s official acts. This is also the place where the King, the Queen, princes, princesses and nobility gathered.

These rooms are similar to each other with ceiling paintings, wall paintings as well as precisely carved marble walls and pillars. It was so tired for my neck to turn up to capture the ceiling of these rooms. I wondered how the painters felt when they work on such height for years to decorate every inch of the ceiling.

Hercules Room

Venus Room

Diana Room

This used to be a… billiards room of King Louis XIV who excelled at that game.

Mercury Room

Mercury Room is the royal bedroom (bedchamber) of the King. However, King Louis XIV never slept here as the audio guide told me. There have been a great number of silver and golden furniture’s here until King Louis XIV used them to finance for the wars of France at that time.

King Chamber

This is the main bedroom of King Louis XIV, where he mainly slept and took his last breath. The decoration of this room looks quite humble compared to other rooms and even the Queen Chamber. I was so surprised because of the ceiling of this room: no painting, no decoration, just an empty white. Maybe the King wanted to sleep easily rather than enjoying the art on ceiling.

Queen Chamber

I wondered why the Queen slept in a separated room with the King, but not together.

Council Room

Like the King’s bedroom, simplicity is what I saw in his working room. Only a complete white ceiling, a normal table and a few decorations here. I guess he did not want to be distracted by complex things and focused a hundred percent on his business.

Although being simple, this is where the King and his councils made most important decisions which significantly affected the history of France, Europe and the whole world. The decision to support the United State during American Revolution against the British Empire was given right in this room.

5. Hall of Mirror

Hall of Mirror, the most famous room in Versailles, was built to pay tribute to the political, economic and artistic success of France. Such tributions are depicted through painted compositions on the vaulted ceiling, sculptures and mirrors.

I wondered why the mirrors were chosen for luxury? It is because they look quite normal to me. However, after doing some research, I learned that mirrors were luxury items at the time of King Louis XIV and only a few companies in Europe could manufacture them. The fulfillment of the room with hundred of mirrors was the ambition to show the economic power of France.

Furthermore, the decoration the installation of mirrors on the opposite side to reflect the great garden is a visual trick to make visitors feel the room looks wider.

In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles ending the First World War (and… beginning of Second World War) was signed in this room.

One story that has never been mentioned during official guidance of the palace here is that the Hall of Mirror was also the place where the proclamation of …German Empire was organized. I do not type wrong here, it’s German, but not France. The most magnificent room of Versailles is the reluctant history witness of a defeat story in Franco – Prussia War in 1871.

War Room and Peace Room

The Hall of Mirrors is connected with two room at both ends of the Hall, the War Room and Peace the Room. These are so magnificent.