The construction of the Palace of Versailles began in 1660 under King Louis XIV and was a massive project that was not fully completed until 1774. Versailles was originally a hunting lodge but was expanded into a grand palace under Louis XIV. The architects Louis Le Vau, Andre Le Notre, and Charles Lebrun oversaw the baroque style construction using cut stone. There was no expense spared in decorating Versailles with lavish carvings, marble, paintings and over 2,000 windows and fireplaces. The expansive gardens cover nearly 1,000 acres and are as impressive as the palace itself.

1. CHATEAU DE
VERSAILLES
The Building of the Palace of Versailles

2. Location
Versailles is
located 12 miles
west of Paris.
Versailles

3. Before the Palace
 The original building
was a hunting lodge
and private retreat
for Louis XIII and his
family.
 Louis XIV expanded
the hunting lodge
into the splendor it is
today.

4. Plans for Versailles
Louis Le Vau was
the architect.
Arch Andre Le Notre was
the landscape architect.
Charles Lebrun was the
painter and decorator.

5. The construction of Chateau De Versailles began in 1660. The
masterpiece of Louis XIV was not complete until 1688. Changes were
made on Chateau de Versailles until 1774. It cost an untold amount of
money to build Versailles.
The Visionary of Chateau De Versailles

6. Construction Type and Style
The
construction
system of
Versailles
was cut stone
bearing
masonry.
The style of
Chateau de
Versailles
was baroque.
Baroque
emphasizes
dramatic,
bold curves
and form.

7. There was no luxury or extravagance spared in the building of Versailles. The
corners, ceilings, and walls are covered with lavish carvings, marble, woodwork
and paintings. There are 2,143 windows, 1252 fireplaces, and 67 staircases.
Details of Chateau de Versailles

8. Rooms in Chateau de Versailles
Hall of Mirrors The Congress
Room
The Royal
Chapel

9. There are approximately 977 acres of gardens located on the grounds of
the Chateau de Versailles.
The Chateau de Versailles Gardens

10. “When you arrive at Versailles, from the courtyard side you see a wretched,
top-heavy building, with a façade seven windows long, surrounded with
everything which the imagination could conceive in the way of bad taste. When
you see it from the garden side, you see an immense palace whose defects are
more than compensated by beauties” - Voltaire
Voltaire’s thoughts on Versailles

11. Aerial Versailles
Chateau de Versailles covers an area of 6469 acres.

12. Versailles at Night

13. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chateau de Versailles. http://en.chateauversailles.fr/homepage (accessed November 3,
2010).
Great Buildings . www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Chateau_de_Versailles.html
(accessed November 3, 2010).
In Louis XIV, by Anthony Levi, 2,20,21,83,128. New York: Carroll & Graf, 2004.
In Versailles a Biography of a Palace, by Tony Spawforth, 1-24. New York : St Martin's
Press, 2008.
In Western Civilization , by Jackson J. Spielvogel, 454-456. Belmont: Thomson
Wadsworth, 2009.