The Gardens of Versailles-Indian-British artist Anish Kapoor's "Dirty Corner" sculture |
The Gardens of Versailles-The Royal Walk also known as the Green Carpet
Also called the “Green Carpet”, because of the strip of lawn that runs down the middle, the Royal Walk is 335 metres long and 40 metres wide. It was laid down under Louis XIII, but Le Nôtre widened it and lined it with twelve statues and twelve vases, placed in symmetrical pairs. Most of them were works sent by the pupils of the Académie de France in Rome in the 17th century. Paths lead off to the Groves which the stroller will discover as he walks along.
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The Gardens of Versailles-Tom at the Apollo Fountain |
The Gardens of Versailles-The Apollo Fountain
A fountain (the Swans Fountain) already existed her from 1636, under the reign of Louis XIII, which Louis XIV decorated with the impressive and celebrated group in gilded lead representing Apollo on his chariot. The work of Tuby, after a drawing by Le Brun, it is inspired by the legend of Apollo, the Sun gold and emblem of the king. Tuby produced this monumental group between 1668 and 1670 at the Manufacture des Gobelins, and it was then transported to Versailles and installed and gilded the following year.
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The Gardens of Versailles-The Apollo Fountain |
The Gardens of Versailles-The Grand Canal |
The Gardens of Versailles |
The Gardens of Versailles |
The Gardens of Versailles-Boat rentals on the Grand Canal |
The GArdens of Versailles |
French school children competing in a relay race on Versailles' grounds |
Victorious French school children after winning a relay race on Versailles' grounds |
The Grand Trianon, Louis XIV's refuge from the pomp and ceremony of Versailles main palace complex
The Grand Trianon was built in the northwestern part of the Domain of Versailles at the request of Louis XIV, as a retreat for the King and his maîtresse en titre of the time, the marquise de Montespan, and as a place where the King and invited guests could take light meals away from the strict étiquette of the Court. The Grand Trianon is set within its own park, which includes the Petit Trianon (the much smaller château built between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of Louis XV).
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Grand Trianon
In 1668, Louis XIV purchased Trianon, a hamlet on the outskirts of Versailles, and commissioned the architect Louis Le Vau to design a porcelain pavilion to be built there. The façade was made of white and blue Delft-style "porcelain" (ceramic) tiles from the French manufactures of Rouen, Lisieux, Nevers and Saint-Cloud. Construction began in 1670 and was finished in 1672.
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Grand Trianon |
