The Palace of Versailles

Although we looked at 17th century Baroque architecture in the preceding section, it is perhaps less confusing to look at the Palace of Versailles here, even though its redesign began in 1660s. Unlike Italian Baroque buildings, its exterior is restrained and classical (like Renaissance buildings). Unlike curvilinear and undulating Italian Baroque facades, its facade is rectilinear and orderly, with repeated geometrical units. The extravagant interior, however, could be called "Baroque," and certainly its huge size is "Baroque," if one defines "Baroque" as dramatic and overwhelming.

The Palace of Versailles is a few miles outside Paris. The original buildings had been a hunting lodge for Louis XIII but Louis XIV wanted it converted to a palace. This was the greatest architectural project of its time -- involving a large number of architects, landscape architects, and interior designers. The scale is enormous with a huge park, gardens, sculptural fountains, and a large number of buildings for government officials, military guards, and servants.

You should recall that Louis XIV is one of the most striking examples of an absolutist monarch -- the size and expense of this project testifies to the powers such kings had. The portrait of Louis XIV (right) is typically Baroque with its dramatic drapery and grandiose image of the king.

	Plan
	Three avenues converge on this palace, the middle one from Paris. Their axes intersect at the king's bedroom. While this may seem to be an eccentric idea, it illustrates Louis XIV's egocentricity and symbolically asserts his absolute power. His bedroom was also an audience chamber.
	The Palace is a quarter of a mile long. The surrounding woods were transformed into a park and formal gardens with rational and geometric designs. That is, order was imposed on nature. In fact, the entire design of Versailles can be seen as proud assertion of human dominion over nature, of human beings' arrogant power to subdue the disorderliness of nature to a human, rational plan. The land had been swampy and water was scarce but all this was overcome. The land was drained and a large canal --over a mile long-- with numerous fountains was constructed.
	The symmetry and order of the palace facade extended to the gardens where hedges were cut into regular shapes, paths were created in geometric patterns, and fountains were ordered into prearranged channels. The gardens and outdoor courts were the scene of fetes, parties, and celebrations given by Louis XIV -- one lasting for 3 days. Outdoor operas, plays, fireworks displays were part of the entertainment.
	Fountain of Apollo
	This fountain is the most important from a symbolic point of view, for Louis XIV -- the "Sun King" -- took as his symbol the Sun God (Apollo, who drove the chariots with the sun across the sky). What better symbol to indicate his control over man and nature!
	Interior
	The interior of the palace shows careful attention to detail, with very rich decoration of everything from wall and ceiling paintings to door knobs. Velvet or inlaid marble cover the walls. Most important ceremonial occasions took place indoors, where the king received ambassadors from other countries and sponsored an elaborate court life.
	Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors)
	The Hall of Mirrors overlooks a park and extends along most of the width of the central block. It is 240 feet long, with a barrel vault. White and colored marbles, with gilded bronze, ornament the walls. Mirrors run along one side, windows the other. The mirrors keep the from feeling like a tunnel since the mirrors create the illusion that the room is wider than it is. (Recall that mirrors and lighting effects were a favorite device of Baroque artists.) The hall no longer has its original furniture, and for good reason. Originally gold and silver chairs furnished the hall, along with artificial jewel trees! Before electricity, the hall required 3000 candles to light it. The two salons at the opposite ends of the Hall of Mirrors are called the Salon of Peace and the Salon of War. Go figure.
	The King's Bedroom
	Louis XIV's bedroom was located at the center of the palace, and the point where roads leading to the palace converged. If the grandeur of Versailles did not already symbolize the centralization of power in an absolute monarch, the location of the king's bedroom clinched the symbol. The king's huge bedroom was not only a sleeping quarter, after all, but also served ceremonial functions. The wooden baluster did serve to mark off public and private spaces, however.
	Royal Chapel
	The Royal Chapel that is part of the Versailles complex actually combines Gothic and Baroque elements. Louis XIV and his successors attended mass here daily.