Château de Versailles

Description:

• Tired of Paris, the 'Sun King' Louis XIV, who enjoyed likening himself to Apollo, god of the arts, peace and the sun, commissioned architects Louis le Vau and Jules Hardouin to build the Château de Versailles in 1668, on the site of his father's small hunting lodge. It became the largest palace in Europe, accommodating up to 20,000 courtiers at a time. Charles Le Brun, the painter, designed the interior, whose highlights include the Royal Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors. The Grand Trianon (1687) and the Petit Trianon (1762) are also in the park. The former, built in stone and marble, housed Louis XIV's mistress, while the latter, a small manor house, was home to Louis XV's mistress.
• © wcities.com 2012