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Sparkling in Versailles

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Sparkling in Versailles

Just 12 miles (20 km) from Paris sits the Palace of Versailles – a relic of French royalty which captures the imagination even today. The opulent palace of the French kings had humble beginnings as a simple hunting lodge for Louis XIII in 1624. It wasn’t long before the simple structure was rebuilt, but it didn’t achieve prominence until Louis XIV decided to enlarge the palace starting in 1661. From then onwards, Louis XIV transformed Versailles into a showpiece, full of bright gilding, masterful paintings, and lavish chandeliers. Perhaps the most famous decoration are the mirrors – most notably covering the 230-foot Hall of Mirrors, giving it its name. The gardens weren’t neglected either, and were fashioned into one of the foremost examples in Europe complete with grottos and fountains. As Versailles grew, the king spent more and more time there, and in 1682 Louis XIV moved the entire royal court to the site, making it the seat of government. Versailles continued to be popular with French royalty, up until the French Revolution, and in 1789 the French government was moved away from Versailles permanently. Despite the palace’s strong link to royalty, it survived the Revolution and the attendant neglect of the Napoleonic era. When a new line of French royalty took power in the 1830s, it was again brought into public view, and its role has shifted with every regime change since. Despite not being a center of government for several centuries, Versailles has continued to play a role on the international stage, with the Hall of Mirrors serving as a location of treaties and declarations. Today, Versailles is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and continues to delight visitors, inside and out, as it has for centuries.