France, Paris XIII. – Versailles, the Place of French Pride II

Right upon entering the castle we saw leaflets with information on respective rooms, floors, and chambers. More on Versialles’ history HERE. We were curious about two places veiled in interesting facts. Going through myriads of people there we full of expectations longed to observe gems in Versailles. Chambers had beautiful decorations, symbols of Louis XIV - the sun King. The decorations were remainder of peace times, war times, decay, and glory. More than 30 000 subjects worked of this admirable building. For 30 years they built there a palace that has no counterpart. They decorated it with marble, gold, mirrors, beautiful greenery in form of beautiful gardens. There are more than 67 staircases, hundreds of statues, fountains, and 6000 servants in the peak of its glory. That was real Versailles. The glory era it experienced in times of Maria Antoinetta’s and King’s Louis XVI rule. Until they were beheaded during the French Revolution.

Famous profligacy

Marie Antoinette made Versailles even more extraordinary. Why being in power she setEuropean trends, mostly in fashion and hair cuts. The palace had to bound to her style (even by widening some doors). She also contributed to building a small village in the palace’s compounds. She used it is a playground. She dressed as a farmer’s wife. This profligacy made her hated by the French people. Later she was even imprisoned with her two children. After a year in a prison she was sentenced to death. Her era, however, Versailles and other gems in France wouldn’t be as magnificent. One might say that profligacy these rulers paid with their lives.

The most famous room in Versailles is undoubtedly The Hall of Mirrors. Filmmakers, photographs, visitors, and even us admire it. It is impressive, beautiful, and breathtaking. After walking through several parts of the palace our eyes got tired. We stepped outside to admire its beauty. To our surprise, we haven’t seen an end to the compounds. Gardens are intertwined by many sidewalks, paths, alleys, and garden beds. There are also statues, fountains, the so called Great Channel in the shape of a cross seamlessly transforming to horizon. At the end of the gardens are Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, French Pavilion, Belvedere, etc. Unfortunately, we did not manage to see all those places. At the end of our tour we have peaked into fabulous garden of Orangerie.

Versailles is not just about the palace and the gardens. It is a world within a world. To describe everything beautiful one can see here would take years and we would write thousands upon thousands of pages. Versailles was a place of kings, celebrities, peace (e.g. Versailles treaty ending the American Revolution, Trianon treaty dealing with the borders of the Hungarian states after the disassemblement of Austria-Hungary and many others), or revolutions. Had you a journey to France, do not miss it.

To those who have no option to visit French Versailles, we recommend you to visit Schönbrunn Palace in neighboring Austria.

Text and photo: Oskár Mažgút