The Palace of Versailles was commissioned by King Louis XIV of France to serve as a symbol of his absolute power and control over the nobility. The chief architect, Louis Le Vau, designed the palace and gardens to depict the king's dominance through its lavish Baroque design elements including long, symmetrical perspectives and over 1,400 fountains. Key features like the Hall of Mirrors and elaborate gardens were meant to awe visitors and reinforce the message of the king's grandeur. The design principles established at Versailles went on to heavily influence garden and city planning around the world for centuries.

1. Palace of Versailles
1.
i. Who was the architect or founder of the building ?
The men in charge of the project were Baraque Architects under the
direction of chief designer Louis Le Vau, the garden designer Andre
le Notre and arts supremo Charles Le Brun.
Louis Le Vau- Architect
One of the greatest architects in 17th century France, Louis Le Vau was
part of a trio of Baroque architects
He helped to create the Louis Quatorze (XIV) style of architecture at the
Palace of Versailles, where he set out for the King the main designs which
transformed a hunting lodge into the most celebrated royal palace in the
world.

2. Among his other contributions to Baroque architecture are;
i) the Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte (1656-61)
ii) the Palais du Louvre (with Claude Perrault)
iii) the Church of Saint-Sulpice, Paris (1646)
iv) the Hotel Lambert for the Ile Saint-Louis, Paris (1642-44)
He also worked on the College des Quatre-Nations (now the Institut de
France), the Chateau of Meudon, Vincennes Castle and many other
buildings. He was born and died in Paris.
Biography
1596-69 - Trained by his father, a Stone Mason, he was influenced by Italian
architecture, including the designs of Bernini (1598-1680) and Pietroda
Cortona
1634 - He began his career with the design of the Hotel de Bautru , followed by
the elegant Hotel Lambert, and others, as well as a number of townhouses on
the IleSaint-Louis, which he designed using a combination of classicalFrench
and Baroquestyles.
1654- hedesigned new wings and a colonnade for the Louvre; in the sameyear
he was appointed first architect to King Louis XIV (reigned 1643-1715).
1656 - he began his architectural masterpiece, the Chateau Vaux-le-Vicomte,
owned by France's wealthy finance minister Nicolas Fouquet(1615–80).
Probably the most important French Chateau of the Baroque period, it
possesses allthe archetypal Classicalcharacteristics of order, balance and
symmetry, whileits monumental form conveys a senseof enduring power. Its
facade is dominated by a large pediment and oval dome, accompanied by
alternating patterns of windows and pilasters. The building, whoseinteriors
were decorated by Charles Lebrun and others, stands in formal gardens
designed by Andre le Notre.
1661 - in Paris, Le Vau and Lebrun began the redesign of the Galerie d'Apollon
in the Louvre.

3. 1665 - Le Vau collaborated with Perraultto design the famous east facadeof
the Louvre(1665–74) in a stylewhich anticipated 18th century Neoclassical
architecture and which was so highly regarded by Sir Christopher Wren. At the
same time, Le Vau (assisted by Francois d' Orbay) was involved in the design of
the College des Quatre Nations, Paris (1661-74) now theInstitutde France.
By employing a pedimented facade(with a tall cupola behind) flanked by two
quadrants ending in pavilions facing the River Seine (thus giving the structurea
concavefacade bordered by the wings), he showed a strong affinity with
Italian Baroque art, and with the work of both Bernini and Francesco
Borromini.
Buildings Designedby Louis Le Vau
- Hotel de Bautru (1634)
- Hotel Lambert, Ile Saint-Louis (1642-44)
- Chateau of Livry, Raincy (1645)
- Church of Saint-Sulpice (1646)
- Palais du Louvre (1654, Wings & Colonnade)
- Hotel de Fonteney (1656)
- Chateauof Vaux-le-Vicomte (1656-61)
- Vincennes Castle (1654)
- College des Quatre-Nations (InstitutdeFrance) (1661-74)
- Palais du Louvre(1661, Galeried'Apollon)
- Palace of Versailles (1667-70, firststage)

4. Hotel Lambert, Ile Saint-Louis (1642-44)

5. Church of Saint Sulpice (1646)
Palace of Versailles

6. Kings bedroom at Versailles Palace
ii. What was the concept or philosophy of the architect or founder
that makes the building historically significant/meaningful?
The Versailles Palace and Gardens stood as a symbol of the French
royal power and control. The king’s control over the courts and
nobles showed the king’s absolute monarchy. The design features
depicted are quintessential, and iconic examples of French Baroque
design and influenced the design of gardens and cities throughout
Europe, and across the world, including Washington DC, which was
designed using themes of Baroque design. Versailles design is quite
lavish and is still praised as perhaps the ultimate example of French
Baroque landscape design.

7. Design Concept and Significant Features
Central Axis, Grand Canal, Tapis Vert, and Fountain of Lotona:
Louis XIV built the Versailles Palace and Gardens to show off his power. The
garden's main axis gives the powerfuland world-renowned illusion of
extending for eternity along the westhorizon, wherethe sun sets. The main
axis includes gravel, grass, and water. The axis starts in gravelsurrounding the
Fountain of Lotona; where Latona is depicted with her two children Apollo and
Diana. Surrounding them are peasants who have refused them water so they
are turning the peasants to frogs. This is justone out of some 1,400 fountains,
which used water from diverted rivers in order to flow. Next along the central
axis is a long rectangle of manicured turf, the Tapis Vert. After the Tapis Vert
there is a mile-long rectangle of water, the Grand Canal, lined with tall, clipped
hedges which is situated to reflect the sun. The central axis descends to this
point, then levels out here so the Grand Canal looks as if it is bent up. The long
central axis ends with trees lining the grassy allee, narrowing in to help the
visualeffect of continuing for eternity.
Fountain of Latona/ image Brittany Bemko

8. The Hall Mirror at Versailles Palace
Hall of Mirrors
The Hall of Mirrors is a 235-foot-long drawing and ballroom, lined on one wall
with seventeen massivemirrors, which wereextremely expensive at that time.
There are glass chandeliers running down the length of the hall, as well as
marble and bronzestatues of women holding up glass candelabras. The
mirrors weredesigned to reflect the ceiling frescoes, which depict and pay
tribute to the early years of Louis XIV's reign as king. Across fromthe mirrors is
a row of windows looking out to the gardens. The Hall of Mirrors has served as
the site for many peace talks; the Treaty of Versailles to end World War I was
signed in the Hall of Mirrors in 1919.

9. Le Petit Trianon
Le Petit Trianon
Rustic Gardens werebecoming a fad in the late 18th century, so Marie-
Antoinette had her chief architect Richard Mique build the Petit Trianon. This
site, with the circular Temple d'Amour, was used for royalentertaining. In 1781
Hubert Robert was called in to build a rocher, the sourceof the streamthat
meanders throughoutthe grounds.