Where is the Palace of Versailles, how long did it take to build and when was the Treaty of Versailles signed there?
The beautiful palace was built back in 1623 by Prince Louis XIII and was originally a hunting lodge, before being expanded to a palace between the 1660s-70s
THE Palace of Versailles is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful buildings in France, although surprisingly it wasn’t first built to be a palace, but rather a hunting lodge.
It’s now open to the public and no royal family reside there, however, it does have a very interesting history..
Where exactly is the palace located?
The Palace of Versailles is located in the Île-de-France region of France, which is around 15 miles south-west of Paris.
It is also known as the Château de Versailles.
Prior to The French Revolution, the Court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France, and was located inside the palace.
The Royal Opera of Versailles is the main theatre and opera house of the Palace of Versailles.
How long did it take to build?
The palace was built in three separate stages:
- 1623 – Construction of less extravagant hunting lodge.
- 1661–78 – First major expansion.
- 1678–1715 – Second major expansion.
Was the Treaty of Versailles signed there?
It was indeed signed at the Palace of Versailles.
The Treaty of Versailles which solidifies the end of the First World War was signed in the hall of mirrors back on June 28, 1919.
How many mirrors does the infamous hall of mirrors contain?
There are a whopping 357 mirrors in the beautiful hall.
As many as 20,000 candles were lit in the hall of mirrors on special occasions to transform it into a “corridor of light”.
How big is the palace?
The palace stretches over 8,150,265 square meters, making it the the world’s largest Royal Domain.
The garden which surrounds the palace, The Garden of Versailles is spread across 1,976 acres, and it is one of the biggest gardens in the world.