Versailles was the breaking point for the people of France. The Louvre was the residence of the King, but Versailles was his hunting lodge. I believe this was Louis XII. Louis XIII decided he wanted it to be his residence and he wanted it bigger and better than anything he had ever seen before. Of course, the building of it made it to where it was really for Louis XIV, which was during a time of starvation among the French population. Therefore, the French Revolution, which ended in Napoleon being the Emperor of France. The opulence of Versailles is totally unbelievable, when you know that the country was starving. They have restored about 10% of it. The pictures I have of it represent less than 10% of what I took. In the pictures, those I have, represent the opulence of every room. Every wall, every ceiling, everything!! If I got the numbers of the Louis wrong, let me know.
Back: Rick, Me, Kathy, Arla, Randal, Gloria, Dan, Rachel, Ted, Jim, Rob, Blaine,Taylor. Front: Mary, Hal, Susan, Bill, Doris, Pat, Jana, Pixie, Tisha, Ty.
We had to wait quite awhile for our group to go in. This was one of the few times to get a picture of the family. So, these pictures are mostly for me. I hope you all enjoy them as well.
This is the private Chapel for the King. Since it was his chapel, it only had one entrance, which is shown in the two pictures below. He has his own 'in house' Priest. He and his household were the only ones who used it.
The entrance hall you walk into...let the opulence begin! Wait...it started at the gold leafed front gate!
Now this is what I call a fireplace! Can you imagine what you could roast in it? There were several this size. The marble work....what can I say?
I wonder who King Louis thought was coming to dinner, Paul Bunyan? Oh, different century, different hemisphere.....
The marble work was exquisite! All of the inlays, all of the different types and colors of marble. Notice in the busts how they have overlaid the marble, so the busts look like they are actually dressed! True craftsman, as well as sculptors!
We enter the "Hall of Mirrors", my favorite room. It faces the West with rows of windows, which look out over the opulent, I just can't think of a better word, gardens. Across from the windows are mirrors. When the sunsets, the whole room glows with the shades of the setting sun, echoing the brilliant hues, until they subside and the shadows fall.
This is where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, on this desk, ending WWI. I don't know that the desk was in the Hall of Mirrors, but it was in Versailles.
The kings bedroom.
The craftsmanship on the tables alone was unbelievable! Inlaid marble and the wood craving...
The queens bedroom, where it would be wall to wall with people of all classes when she gave birth to her children...so the world would know she was the one who gave birth...privacy anyone?
The wall of ancient tapestries.
The ceiling below shows how things are being renovated. It looks pixilated because they restore the paintings in small squares. I thought it was very interesting, after looking at everything that had been restored already.
How would you like to be the 'Cindrella' who cleaned and polished this hall?
The most decadent chocolate dessert I have ever tasted. I am not a chocoholic, but if all chocolate was as delectable as this, I would be!
Looking out over where the gardens are. Most are hidden behind the trees and I wasn't able to see them.
The second story of the main building is where the hall of mirrors is. It was set up to mirror the setting sun. That would have been the most amazing thing to see!
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