Introduction :
The Palace of Versailles is located in the Versailles City in the Ile de France region in France. It is a residence for the royal family of France and was the political centre in France since 1682 to 1789. The Palace of Versailles was a symbol of absolute monarchy in France during the pre modern times. The Palace and Park of Versailles was one of the first to be designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979 for its vast and extravagant Palace as it provides Europe with an insight into the ideal residence of the royal family during the pre modern times. Today, the park and a portion of the Palace of Versailles is open for tourist visits.
Overview of the Palace of Versailles
Sculpture at the pond of Versailles Palace
Image attribution to sjungling @ Flickr
A look into the interior court
Image attribution to Eric Pouhier @ Wiki
History :
The earliest documentation of Versailles was dated on 1038 AD relating it to a village.
The construction in Versailles started with a hunting lodge in 1624 under the orders of Louis XIII. It was soon expanded into one of the largest palaces in the world by Louis XIV and the court was officially established in the Palace of Versailles in 1682. It was the residence of the royal family until the French Revolution in 1789 when the royal family was made to leave and move to the Tuileries Palace.
The garden area is also part of the World Heritage Site
Image attribution to rebarros @ Wiki
Hall of Mirrors
Image attribution to Myrabella @ Wiki
A look inside the Palace of Versailles
Image attribution to rebarros @ Wiki
Getting there :
The nearest airport to the Palace of Versailles is the Paris Orly International Airport which is 23 km away from the Versailles city center.