The expansion of Versailles also cost an estimated HALF of the ENTIRE GNP of France for a whole year. Visiting Versailles, it's incredibly easy to understand the French Revolution.
Still, Louis XIV was a pretty awesome king and reigned for 70 years, outliving many of his heirs. He was a Renaissance man, and called himself the Sun King. Louis also thought that the inside of the calf was the most beautiful part of the body, and is the reason ballet dancers strive for good turnout. (oh BTW, he started ballet.) He believed in his divine right to rule and the supremacy of the absolute monarch. "l'état, c'est moi!" "I am the State." Versailles is dripping with classic figures, lots of Apollos (the sun god) gold and suns.
On the train to Versailles I passed the mini Statue of Liberty
At Versailles, there is a statue of Louis right in front. Behind it are these weird modern arm like sculptures,that were currently under construction. I saw some pictures of how they normally look, and I have to tell you I dont really care for them.
The very center which you can't really see is the original hunting lodge.
Me and my Louis!
The Royal Chapel. This is probably the only place where Louis acknowledges the "other" God. He attended mass here every morning, and this is where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were married.
The following is a succession of the state apartments. I generally only took pictures of the ceilings. Sorry!
The Hercules Room. That big painting is by Veronese, and was a gift from the city of Venice. Louis XIV built the room for his daughter's wedding reception, and liked the painting so much the entire room was made to match it.
The Salon of Abundance. You could pop in here to load up on refreshments, served on silver platters. Look at Abundance up there, with her cornucopia just overflowing with riches! There is a door in this room that leads to Louis' private study, where the Mona Lisa hung.
In the Venus room, fake windows make the room seem larger!
The Diana Room, which of course makes me happy! I'm a big fan of Artemis.
Look at Louis, all wind blown and magisterial. I wish I could be that magnificent.
The Mars Room.
Oy, what are you lookin' at? I'm just mindin' my own business over 'ere!
One place I didnt take a photo of is the Mercury Room, which was Louis' official, not actual, bedroom. Since he was a big deal, getting up in the morning was a public event, and people came to watch it happen. It was done in a small ceremony, as was going to bed. If you were lucky you got to help out.
Louis XVI, who was waaaay less cool than Louis XIV. Even marrying Marie didn't make him suave. Off with his head!
This was in the Apollo Room, Louis XIV super luxe throne room. his silver and gold throne were so heavy it was supported from the ceiling by these supports.
Once Versailles was raided by the peasants, most of the furniture was taken and sold or lost. So most everything in Versailles currenty are reproductions
The famous Rigaud paining of Louis XIV. So confident, not overly arrogant, and totally cool.
The War Room. The center painting is of Lady France, triumphing inward against Germany, Holland, and Spain. "Louis Quatorze was addicted to wars."
The entrance to the Hall of Mirrors.
The ceiling. Originally, two huge carpets mirrored the action on the ceiling.
Mirrors at this time were a great luxury, and to think Louis lined a 250 foot long room with them! Imagine this place filled with candles and nobles covered in velvet and satin.
The desk where the Treaty of Versailles was signed.
One of the 24 gilded candelabras. My Dad told me that when they came here when I was a baby and my brother was 6 years old, he walked up to the cherub and rubbed it's bottom. Hahahahahaha.
Another Diana!
The view from Louis' study into the Hall of Mirrors and out the gardens.
A replica of Louis' bed.
The view from the Hall of Mirrors
The Peace Room, the sequel to the war room.
Everything's fine! We can play with the artillery!
In the Queen's Bedroom. This is a replica of the bed and wall coverings that were last here, the summer set from the time of Marie Antoinette, the last ruling Queen to live in Versailles.
The little door that led to the King's bedroom.
A bust of Marie.
Her jewelry cabinet. My stuff can fit in a ziplock bag.
Marie Antoinette really was a sweet girl who got caught up in a crazy life and portrayed poorly by the people. In this painting she tried to show herself and a dedicated mother.
A ceiling under renovation.
A copy of the Coronation of Napoleon by David.
In the Dauphin's apartments downstairs there was this weird exhibition of contemporary furniture in classical settings.
Moving on out to the garden! The sun was PERFECT, and it bathed the whole outdoors in golden light.
The back of Versailles. The center middle is the Hall of Mirrors.
Louis proved his divine status by exhibiting control over nature and water. This is called the Royal Drive, which is part of an eight mile axis. It looks like it goes on forever...an intentional feature.
Here I am at the base of the stairs, appreciating the glory of Louis XIV.
The Latona Basin. Latona is the mother of Diana and Apollo, and all three are at the top of the fountain. When Latona was mocked by the locals for being an unwed mother, she asked Zeus (the father, by the by) to teach them a lesson. Zeus then turned them all into frogs and lizards.
Help I'm...croak...turning into..riiiiiiibit.
No ancient ruins? No problem. Louis built his own.
The Apollo Basin. Isn't this just so cool? Imagine this pool of water in early morning, glowing and golden with the rising sun, and emerging from the golden pool, and pulling that enormous sun is Apollo!
Emerging from the mists of dawn.
Louis was so cool, he could even grow oranges. This is a view from the top of the Orangerie, where the trees were stored in their silver pots when the weather got too cold. When is was nice, they were wheeled out and put around the grounds.
"Hey Fred?"
"Yeah Steve?"
"How much longer you figure we gotta hold the edge of dis here pot up?"
"Uh, well, forever I recon."
"Aww man! I want to go frolic and play my pipes!"
"Hey mmpfhwould you quit whhhyour complainingpsjh? At mmmleast you get to mmmpshuse your handsmmmm."
"What's in there?"
"I dunno, can you see? What is it?"
And finally, I went to the Musee d'Orsay for some of the finest examples of Impressionist and modern art around.
I snuck this picture. It's in the old Orsay train station.
I had dinner in the restaurant that was part of the original adjoining hotel. The ceiling was painted in 1900, and everything is just the epitome of Belle Epoque Paris.
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