What makes the gardens of Versailles so special?
Conceived for the pleasure of a king, with grand avenues, fantastical water features, and rows and rows of blooms, the gardens of Versailles continue to reign supreme. The South Parterre of the gardens of Versailles, known as the Flower Parterre, includes espaliered hedges, manicured trees, and spring-blooming daffodils and narcissus.
What is the flower parterre of Versailles?
The South Parterre of the gardens of Versailles, known as the Flower Parterre, includes espaliered hedges, manicured trees, and spring-blooming daffodils and narcissus.
What was Versailles like before Louis XIV?
Versailles before Louis XIV. Before becoming today’s vast domain made up of parks and gardens, Versailles was the hunting grounds for the young Louis XIII and his father, King Henry IV, where a hunting pavilion and later a palace were built.
Is it possible to get lost in the maze of Versailles?
It was possible to get lost in the much-admired labyrinth of Versailles, built for Louis XIV of France in 1677 and destroyed in 1778. This maze was adorned with thirty-nine hydraulic sculpture groups depicting Aesop's fables.
What plants are in the garden of Versailles?
The garden features a tall Corsican pine, which was planted when Napoleon ruled as France's Emperor. Corsican pine is also called black pine. The tree is known for its straight, knot-free wood and twisting needles. Visitors to Versailles will also find beech, poplar, chestnut and hawthorn trees in the gardens.
What are the gardens at Versailles called?
The Gardens of Versailles (French: Jardins du château de Versailles [ʒaʁdɛ̃ dy ʃɑto d(ə) vɛʁsɑj]) occupy part of what was once the Domaine royal de Versailles, the royal demesne of the château of Versailles.
What do the gardens at Versailles symbolize?
The Gardens of Versailles, King Louis XIV's legacy, were unparalleled by any garden in existence at the time. Constructed under the "Sun King," they were built and designed, not as a place of leisure and relaxation, but as a symbol of his political ab- solutism over man and nature.
How many plants are in the Palace of Versailles?
Among the 350,000 trees planted on the Estate of Versailles, 30 have been deemed admirable on account of their beauty, history or botanical rarity.
How much do 16 year olds get for Versailles?
Access to the Palace and the estate of Trianon is free for visitors under 18 (or under 26 residing in the EU).
What is the most famous room in the Palace of Versailles?
The Hall of MirrorsThe Hall of Mirrors, the most famous room in the Palace, was built to replace a large terrace designed by the architect Louis Le Vau, which opened onto the garden.
Where did they go to the bathroom at Versailles?
There were no bathrooms as we would know them. Courtiers and royalty used decorative commodes in each room, while commoners simply relieved themselves in the hallways or stairwells.
Are Versailles Gates real gold?
During the French Revolution that began in 1789, the French revolutionary government ordered to dismantle the front gate, which was completely covered with gold. In 2008, the gate was recreated and decorated with 100,000 gold leaves.
Did Nobles pay rent to live Versailles?
Many of the wealthiest nobles had an hotel somewhere close ( like in the city of Versailles ) where they retreated after the day at court. There the hotel was theirs (bought or rented ) and when they organized festivities or hold their " own little court " it was up to them to pay of course.
Are there secret passages in Versailles?
The grandeur lies in the subtle accents and little-known history scattered throughout the estate. Uncover secret passageways and unique perspectives of the Sun King's powerful estate with these never before seen glimpses into the historic epicenter of French royalty.
How much money does the Palace of Versailles make a year?
It is headed up by Catherine Pégard, the President of the Public Establishment. The annual consolidated budget of the Public Establishment is around €100 million. Operating expenses are covered from the Establishment's own resources, notably the revenue it earns from ticket sales and its commercial activities.
Did a woman design a garden at Versailles?
Winslet's Madame de Barra is a fiction, but the garden she creates in the film is real. The Grotto of Thetis was built as an outdoor ballroom with marble flooring, tiered seating and fountains that run over tiers of stonework and shells. The grotto is also part of Le Notre's ingenious hydraulics scheme.
Is there really an outdoor ballroom at Versailles?
The Grotto of Thetis was built as an outdoor ballroom with marble flooring, tiered seating and fountains that run over tiers of stonework and shells. The grotto is also part of Le Notre's ingenious hydraulics scheme.
Who was the gardens of Versailles built for?
Louis XIVThe Versailles gardens, designed by André Le Nôtre, have been a worldwide reference since the 17th century. These works of art are also a paradise representative of the ambitions of Louis XIV when he was a young king.
Did a woman design the gardens of Versailles?
In 1661 Louis XIV entrusted André Le Nôtre with the creation and renovation of the gardens of Versailles, which he considered just as important as the Palace.
How many fountains are there in the gardens of Versailles?
The Palace garden is designed around alleys running parallel or perpendicular to the Royal Way and marking out groves. At the four crossroads of the principle alleys stand four fountains, built in the 1670s and dedicated to the four seasons.
What are the gardens of Versailles?
The Gardens of Versailles: Flower and Might. The South Parterre of the gardens of Versailles, known as the Flower Parterre, includes espaliered hedges, manicured trees, and spring-blooming daffodils and narcissus. More than 300 years ago, the rulers of France erected the Château de Versailles as a monument to their imperial dominion.
How big is the Château de Versailles?
More than 300 years ago, the rulers of France erected the Château de Versailles as a monument to their imperial dominion. Set on 19,262 acres in the countryside 16 miles outside Paris, Versailles—with its grand palace and expansive gardens—is larger than Manhattan. It’s even larger than Paris. The Palace of Versailles’ exterior reflection in ...
What is the name of the small palace in Versailles?
A close-up of springtime blooms in the French Garden of the Petit Trianon. Two of the most popular areas of Versailles are the Petit Trianon, Marie-Antoinette’s smaller, private palace, and her pastoral bolt-hole, the Hamlet, which the young queen built when the puffery and intrigue of court life became too much to bear.
What is Petit Trianon's Hamlet about?
And her Hamlet is a poignant reminder of Marie-Antoinette’s fatal naivety and frivolity. She envisioned it as a country village on a lake, with thatched-roof huts and working dairies.
What was the palace of Louis XIV?
After a threat of an uprising while he was living at the Louvre, King Louis XIV looked to establish a residence far removed from central Paris. The palace he built of gilded, marble clad, and mirrored rooms was large enough to accommodate his entire government. The royal stables were often mistaken for the castle entry and held 2,000 horses. And while the palace continues to fascinate for its vastness, excessive decoration, and curious coldness, it is the gardens that speak most profoundly to visitors. It is there, strolling the wide avenues leading down from the palace to the Grand Canal, or especially, touring Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet—her refuge from the rigors of court life—that one can actually imagine how it might have felt to be the human beings who lived in such an unnaturally ornate environment.
Where was Marie-Antoinette filmed?
For the movie “Marie-Antoinette,” director Sofia Coppola received permission to film at Versailles. In one scene, after an all-night soirée, Marie-Antoinette and a group of friends run giggling over the broad avenues to watch the sun rise over the Grand Canal.
Who designed the Orangerie at Versailles?
Versailles’ Orangerie, designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, looks out on four quadrants of parterres de broderie and boasts trees from Spain, Portugal, and Italy.
Who designed the gardens at Versailles?
The gardens at the Palace of Versailles, France, designed by André Le Nôtre. North of the terrace, manicured ornamental gardens slope gently down to the Water Walk, a path lined with bronze sculptures and geometric topiaries and bordered by imposing hedgerows.
Who designed the gardens behind the Palace of Versailles?
Gardens behind the Palace of Versailles, France, designed by the landscape architect André Le Nôtre. © Photos.com/Jupiterimages. The walkways and paths of the parks are decorated with statues, vases, and manicured yews, and they are bordered by hedges and shrubberies.
What was the fountain at Versailles inspired by?
The Latona Fountain, designed by André Le Nôtre and sculpted by Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy, inspired by Ovid's Metamorphoses; at the Palace of Versailles, France.
Why was the Seine waterworks built at Versailles?
Because of the scarcity of water at Versailles, elaborate waterworks were constructed at Marly-le-Roi to tap the Seine, but part of the supply thus obtained was diverted to the newly erected royal château at Marly.
Where is the Louis XIV style bedroom?
Bedroom in the Louis XIV style, Grand Trianon, Palace of Versailles, France.
When was the Orangerie grove built?
To the south of the terrace, raised flower beds lead to a pair of staircases that flank the Orangerie, a grove planned by Hardouin-Mansart in 1685 that includes more than 1,000 trees.
Who designed the gardens of Versailles?
Gardens of Versailles. Design and construction. Architect. André Le Nôtre. Other designers. Charles Perrault. Jean Cotelle the younger 's painting of the entrance to the Labyrinth of Versailles; Cupid ('Love') on the left, Aesop on the right. The labyrinth of Versailles was a hedge maze in the Gardens of Versailles with groups ...
What is the labyrinth of Versailles?
The labyrinth of Versailles was a hedge maze in the Gardens of Versailles with groups of fountains and sculptures depicting Aesop's fables. [1] . André Le Nôtre initially planned a maze of unadorned paths in 1665, but in 1669, Charles Perrault advised Louis XIV to include thirty-nine fountains, each representing one of the fables of Aesop. [2] .
Who described the labyrinth as a network of allées bordered with palisades where?
Jean-Aymar Piganiol de La Force in his Nouvelle description du château et parc de Versailles et de Marly (1702) describes the labyrinth as a "network of allées bordered with palisades where it is easy to get lost.".
What is the garden of Versailles?
French-style Gardens of Versailles : the birth of a tradition. Jardins de Vaux le Vicomte, created by Le Nôtre. The embroidery parterre, or a formal flowerbed garden, is a theme specific to French gardening that harks back to a veritable tradition.
Who designed the Versailles gardens?
The Versailles gardens, designed by André Le Nôtre, have been a worldwide reference since the 17th century. These works of art are also a paradise representative of the ambitions of Louis XIV when he was a young king.
What did André Le Nôtre do for the Château de Versailles?
A humble gardener without specialized training, Le Nôtre designed and conceived a series of gardens, groves, and parks for the palace and its domaine. His achievements were, and still are, considered to be the work of a genius and spanned 25 long years during which the gardens of Versailles would continue to grow in size and in splendor.
What was Versailles before?
Versailles before Louis XIV. Before becoming today’s vast domain made up of parks and gardens, Versailles was the hunting grounds for the young Louis XIII and his father, King Henry IV, where a hunting pavilion and later a palace were built. For Louis XIII, the place was not only a refuge where he could enjoy hunting but a place where he could get ...
What was Louis XIII's refuge?
For Louis XIII, the place was not only a refuge where he could enjoy hunting but a place where he could get away from the authority of his mother, Marie de Medici, who would guarantee his ascension to the throne.
Why did the Sun King choose Versailles?
One must understand the young Sun King’s ambition in order to grasp the plans conceived for gardens of Versailles. Because he sought a world of pleasure and luxury in which he and his court could thrive, the Sun King chose the castle of his father, Louis XIII.
Who is known for his formal flowerbed compositions and for optical illusions without precedent?
Park and Versailles Garden : the Plan. André Le Nôtre is known for the finesse of his formal flowerbed compositions and for optical illusions without precedent.
What is a hedge maze?
Jump to navigation Jump to search. The maze at Traquair. A hedge maze is an outdoor garden maze or labyrinth in which the "walls" or dividers between passages are made of vertical hedges .
How many hydraulic sculptures were there in the Labyrinth of Versailles?
This maze was adorned with thirty-nine hydraulic sculpture groups depicting Aesop's fables.
Where is the Labyrinth of Versailles?
The labyrinth of Versailles was a hedge maze in the Gardens of Versailles, a royal château in France. Pictured is Labyrinte de Versailles by Charles Perrault with engravings by Leclerc and coloured by Jacques Bailly, circa the late 17th century
Where is the oldest hedge maze?
The oldest surviving puzzle hedge maze, at Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, England, was built for King William in the late 17th century. Its distinctive trapezoidal shape is due to pre-existing paths running alongside the maze. In modern times, hedge mazes have increased in complexity.
Why did the hedge maze start?
Initially, the hedge maze was not intended to confuse, but to provide a unicursal walking path. Puzzle-like hedge mazes featuring dead ends and tall hedges arrived in England during the reign of King William III of England.
Overview
Success
This labyrinth was so popular, not only with the King and the young Dauphin, but with the nobility and gentry who were allowed to visit the garden, that a guidebook was published, Perrault's Labyrinte de Versailles, which contained the fables, a description of the fountains and the quatrains written by the poet Isaac Benserade for each fable. It was first published in 1675, then reprinted in 167…
Creation
In 1665, André Le Nôtre planned a hedge maze of unadorned paths in an area south of the Latona Fountain near the Orangerie. In 1668 Jean de La Fontaine published his first collection Fables Choisies, dedicated to "Monseigneur" Louis, le Grand Dauphin, the six-year-old son of Louis XIV. Although La Fontaine had incurred the royal displeasure, his poems perhaps encouraged Charles Perrault, author of the Mother Goose stories, who the year before had been named senior civil ser…
Layout
The layout of the maze was unusual, as there was no central goal, and, despite the five-metre-high (16 ft) hedges, allowed glimpses ahead. Jean-Aymar Piganiol de La Force in his Nouvelle description du château et parc de Versailles et de Marly (1702) describes the labyrinth as a "network of allées bordered with palisades where it is easy to get lost." He continues: "At every turn you see a fountain decorated with delicate rocaille, and representing very simply a fable, the …
Aesop and Love
Two statues were placed at the entrance to the labyrinth ("A" in the plan), one of Aesop by Le Gros ("B") holding a scroll of paper and the other of Love or Cupid by Tuby ("C") holding a ball of thread, like Ariadne's. [3]
Perrault writes of the two figures: "Aesop has a roll of paper which he shows to Love who has a ball of thread, as if to say that if God has committed men to troublesome labyrinths, there is no s…
Destruction
Citing repair and maintenance costs, Louis XVI ordered the labyrinth destroyed in 1778. In its place, an arboretum of exotic trees was planted as an English-styled garden. Rechristened Bosquet de la Reine, it would be in this part of the garden that an episode of the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, which compromised Marie-Antoinette, transpired in 1785. In the reserve collections of the Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, there remain only thi…
The fables in the labyrinth
1. Owl and Birds (Le duc et les oiseaux, Perry 614)
2. Cocks and Partridge (Les coqs et la perdrix, Perry 23)
3. The Cock, the Dog and the Fox (Le coq et le renard, Perry 252)
4. The Cock and the Jewel (Le coq et le diamant, Perry 503)
Gallery
• Title page
• no.10: The Viper and the File (Le Serpent et la Lime:1679)
• no.14: The Fox and the Crane (Le Renard et le Grue)
• no.26: The Wolf and the Crane (Le loup et la cigogne)