Hall of Mirrors Versailles. Panorama Mirror Gallery. Virtual tour of the Mirror Gallery. Attractions, map, photos, videos. Hall of Apollo, Palace in Versailles, France

The Mirror Gallery (French: Galerie des Glaces) is the most famous interior of the Palace of Versailles. Together with the disappeared staircase of the Ambassadors and the palace Chapel, it was one of the three largest interiors of the residence of Louis XIV. The dimensions of the hall in plan are 73.0 m × 10.5 m. Height - 12.3 m.

History of construction

In 1678, Jules Hardouin-Mansart began rebuilding the "Envelope" of the palace, created by Louis Levo. In place of the open terrace on the second floor, they built Large gallery(It would be called mirror only in the 19th century). Together with the flanking halls of War and Peace (the design of the latter would be completed only under Louis XV), it connected the King’s Grand appartements with the Queen’s chambers, becoming the apotheosis of the Grand style of Louis XIV. At the same time, it should be noted that the construction of the gallery violated the logic of the Apartments of the Planets (the name of the group of halls of the Large Apartments): during its creation, the salons of Jupiter, Saturn and Venus, located in the left risalit of the “Envelope,” were destroyed. (The Venus Salon was re-designed at the beginning of the enfilade, at the Staircase of Ambassadors). When designing the space for the new interior, Hardouin-Mansart relied on the gallery of the Clagny castle he had previously created. The scheme of ending with salons at the ends, communicating with the main volume through open arches, was used in the residence of the Duke of Orleans. The subjects of the painting were originally intended to be dedicated to Apollo (as in the Louvre) or Hercules (as in the Lambert Hotel). But after the conclusion of peace in Nimwegen, which became the apotheosis of the reign of Louis XIV, Charles Lebrun sketched the History of the King in two days. According to his sketches, the capitals of the pilasters were made in the national “French” order (which is actually a modified Corinthian) with fleur-de-lys and Gallic roosters in the decor, and numerous elements of the gallery’s furniture: there were alabaster tables and vases in bronze frames, stools and floor lamps made of silver, made in the Gobelin workshops; between the windows on silver tables, eight-armed silver candelabras with depictions of the exploits of Hercules were installed, which was a reflection of the original design concept. The gallery was decorated with orange trees planted in silver flowerpots. The same metal is used in the fittings of crystal chandeliers. Seventeen windows are framed with curtains of blue silk embroidered with gold. The mirrors that gave the interior its name were made in the newly founded workshops of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine. The floor was covered with huge carpets from the Savoneri workshops. Almost all silver items were melted down after the first edict against luxury in 1689, issued to cover military expenses. And today, despite all the splendor, the interiors of Versailles are only a pale shadow of their former glory.

Historical events

On May 15, 1685, in the newly completed Great (Mirror) Gallery, the king received representatives of the Doge of Genoa, who, after a ten-day bombardment of the city by the French, were forced to publicly apologize to him for the construction of four galleys for Spain. This event was captured...

Royal Palace of Versailles is the main pearl of France, which is located just 20 km from Paris in small town. Exactly big Versailles castle served as a model for many European castles. The architectural and landscape masterpiece includes luxurious palace buildings and exquisite gardens with artificial and natural lakes. Versailles became a symbol of the power and authority of the French monarch Louis XIV.

Reasons for the construction of the royal palace at Versailles:

1. Due to the revolutionary movement, living in the royal family was dangerous.
2. Ambition. In the 17th century, France actively developed, becoming a new superpower. A powerful state needed a worthy political center, which was Versailles. . Paris at that time was a provincial city.
3. The envy of the young king, which arose after Louis XIV saw the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte Nicolas Fouquet. By the way, the owner of the castle was soon executed.

The palace at Versailles could simultaneously accommodate 10,000 people - including 5,000 courtiers and 5,000 servants. The domestic policy of Louis XIV was to vigilantly control the aristocracy. Those courtiers who left the Palace of Versailles were forever deprived of royal favor and, as a result, property and ranks.

The best French masters were involved in the construction of the architectural and landscape complex: Louis Leveau, Andre Le Nôtre, Charles Lebrun. In total, 25 million livres or 259.56 billion modern euros were spent from the state treasury. This is despite the fact that construction big palace in France, it was carried out under conditions of extreme austerity, due to which some windows did not open and fireplaces did not work. In winter, living in the Palace of Versailles was uncomfortable.

Mirror Gallery, Palace of Versailles, France.

The Hall of Mirrors is rightly considered the most grandiose and impressive attraction of the Palace of Versailles. The brilliant masters of the Renaissance embodied the ideas of absolutism in it. The hall amazes and delights with its wealth and luxury. Every detail of the interior is lavishly decorated with gold. Huge mirrors, sculptures and numerous crystal chandeliers are harmoniously combined in a single ensemble.

Interestingly, it was in the Mirror Gallery that the famous Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919.

Royal Chapel, Versailles, France.

The Royal Chapel is on the right side palace complex in Versailles. The gilded royal altar contrasts with snow-white columns decorated with stucco. Exquisite bronze figures of Greek gods immediately catch your eye. The chapel consists of 2 floors. Only monarchs had the right to climb to the top tier.

An interesting fact: every second court lady dreamed of becoming the favorite of the loving Louis XIV. That is why representatives of the fair sex never missed a service.

Apollo Hall, Palace of Versailles, France.

The throne room was intended for holding ceremonial receptions of foreign delegations. In the evening, celebrations were sometimes held here.

Salon of War, Palace of Versailles, France.

The War Salon is dedicated to the military triumph of France. The walls of the hall are decorated with paintings glorifying the legendary victories of the French.

Diana's Salon, Palace of Versailles, France.

Interior of this salon decorated with golden vaults and painted walls, antique sculptures and busts. Once upon a time there was a large billiard table in this hall, where monarchs and courtiers entertained.

Queen's bedroom, Palace of Versailles, France.

The queen's bedroom is decorated with woven portraits, picturesque panels, stucco moldings, and crystal chandeliers. Every detail of the decor is covered with the purest gold.

Interesting: in the 17th century, queens gave birth in public.

King's Bedroom, Palace of Versailles, France.

The extravagant king of France loved pomp and luxury most of all. This is exactly what his bedchamber is, located in the very heart of the Palace of Versailles. The royal box is decorated with a scarlet silk canopy.

The narcissistic monarch Louis XIV loved the theater. And so he turned his whole life into a pompous performance, which was given with dignity on a magnificent stage - V royal palace in Versailles!

The history of construction and design does not know such frequent attempts at imitation as the imitation of Versailles! It is Versailles palace and park ensemble(Parc et ch?teau de Versailles) served as a model for the construction of many European castles and parks. This unsurpassed historical complex of luxurious palace buildings, numerous structures, exquisite greenhouses, parks, gardens with natural and artificial reservoirs had an incredible influence on the urban planning of the 18th century.

Royal residences were never built just like that. was also no exception. The magnificent “Sun King” Louis XIV had many reasons for building a new permanent residence. The monarch had the idea after he saw the palace of Finance Minister Nicolas Fouquet on the Vaux-le-Vicomte estate. Feeling envious and wanting to own such luxury, Louis XIV de Bourbon begins rebuilding the old castle at Versailles. He makes a firm decision to surpass the castle in everything. Moreover, the French monarch was not very attached to Paris and the Faubourg Saint-Germain. And the perceived unsafety of living in the city accelerates the start of construction work.

A little history.

The history of the Palace of Versailles begins at the end of the sixteenth century. Once upon a time there was a small house surrounded by a garden where Louis XIII (father of Louis XIV) hunted in the forest. Hunting was the main hobby of Louis XIII and in 1623 he stood here, a simple, no-frills hunting castle made of slate, brick and stone. In 1632, the territory where the Palace of Versailles is now located was expanded by purchasing the Versailles estate from the Archbishop of Paris. A two-year reconstruction began, which grew into almost fifty years of construction.

After the confiscation of the Vaux-le-Vicomte castle in 1661 and the arrest of Nicolas Fouquet (remember D'Artagnan from the famous novel by A. Dumas, it was he who participated in the imprisonment of the Minister of Finance), the group of craftsmen who built this palace, at the invitation of the ruler, moved to Versailles. Architects Louis Leveau and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, court gardener Andre Le Nôtre, artist and interior designer Charles Lebrun remodeled, enlarged and updated the Palace of Versailles.

Masterpieces of the Palace of Versailles.

Each hall of the palace at Versailles is a marvelous poem about the beauty and luxury, talent and diligence of the craftsmen.

Royal Chapel. Located on the right side of the building near the entrance. The royal altar is surrounded by bronze figures of gods ancient Greece. The floor with the royal coat of arms in the center is paved with colored marble. The chapel has two tiers with a spiral staircase. Only the family of the monarch could rise to the top; persons of lesser title remained below.

An interesting story has survived to this day. Wanting to attract the attention of the loving monarch, many court ladies gathered for the service. But the chief of His Majesty's guard decided to joke, announcing to the ladies that the king would not be at the mass. Imagine the ruler’s surprise when he arrived at the service and did not see a single lady below!

As a rule, after the service, the king went to one of the nine ceremonial halls. Today, crowds of visitors go there to touch history, spending a long time looking at the galleries dedicated to ancient heroes: Venus, Diana, Mars, Mercury, Apollo, Hercules. Many people flock to the Salon of War, the Bull's Eye and the pearl of Versailles - the Gallery of Mirrors.

Hall of Venus. The most important exhibit in this salon is the statue of Louis XIV.

Diana's Hall. There was a huge table here, where under Louis XIV they entertained themselves by playing billiards. The table was set with a bright crimson velor rug with gold fringe. The ladies of the court sat in a circle on a raised platform, this allowed them to watch the game and applaud the successes of the narcissistic king.

Apollo Hall- throne. It served for ceremonial receptions of foreign ambassadors and patronal feasts. In the late afternoon there was usually dancing and musical and theatrical performances. The autocrat, who loved to show off, took part in them with pleasure.

Hall of War entirely dedicated during hostilities. On the walls you can see monumental paintings praising the significant victories of France.

Salon "Bull's Eye", a room with a window overlooking an oval-shaped courtyard. Titled and close people of the monarch were allowed here to observe what was happening in the king’s apartments through an opening resembling a bull’s eye.

Mirror gallery(Galerie des Glaces) or Grand, the heart of the Palace of Versailles. The most majestic room, its length is more than 73 meters and its width is about 11 meters. The gallery was the first to use a new architectural method of arranging 357 mirrors, all of which were installed parallel to seventeen windows. Thus, the feeling was created that the gallery on both sides had windows looking into the park. And in the evening, on the days of palace balls and audiences, the light of three thousand candles was reflected in the mirror panels.

The gallery is decorated with all kinds of vases in bronze frames, silver floor lamps and candelabra, dozens of crystal chandeliers, and flowerpots with orange trees.

According to Lebrun's design, before 1690, the Gallery of Mirrors was furnished exclusively with silver furniture. In 1689, by order of the king, the furniture was melted down to cover military costs. It is impossible to describe the play of light reflections when the rays of the sun, illuminating the hall, are reflected in the mirrors, dazzling the eye and amazing the imagination.

The first thing that attracts attention here is the size of the queen bed. It is huge, almost filling the entire bedroom! According to existing tradition, the Queen of France had to give birth in public, so at this time Versailles attracted crowds of people. All surfaces in the bedchamber are covered with gold, indicating the status of the owner.

King's bedroom was the center of life of the entire palace at Versailles. The main piece of furniture was the bed, located so that its center was the place where the rays of the three city highways connecting Paris with the Palace of Versailles converged. But the most interesting thing was that during the ritual of morning awakening, polishing and going to bed of His Majesty Louis XIV, select persons were in the bedroom, honored with the high honor of monitoring what was happening. “Gentlemen, the king has woken up!” was heard from the “holy of holies”, two servants are already serving a lace shirt, four glasses
with wine. A new day began, where everyone wanted to catch the gracious word or glance of the ruler, hoping that fortune would finally smile on them...

Mirror Gallery of Versailles

photo Philippe

The gallery of mirrors of the Palace of Versailles, a masterpiece of the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart and the artist Charles Lebrun, a symbol of the greatness of Louis XIV, who wanted to make it a showcase of France, has regained its original splendor after three years of restoration work. This was the first complete restoration since the gallery was completed in 1684. This [world's only royal beauty, as the Marquise de Sevigne wrote about it, appears today, according to the chief architect Historical monuments palace of Frederic Didier, [a dazzling old ladyk, whose [all the wrinkles on her face tell a story].

The restoration campaign carried out for this beauty, which still retains much of its youthful charm, is the largest cultural philanthropy operation ever carried out in France, costing a total of 12 million euros. The costs were fully borne by the construction company and public works Vinci. This was [competent philanthropy], since a group of philanthropists carried out both the general design and material support of all the work, the implementation of which was entrusted to enterprises that specialize in the restoration and preservation of national heritage. The first technical operations concerned the repair of all electrical networks, heating, thermal insulation, ventilation and air conditioning systems in accordance with fire safety standards. Was invented new system lighting, giving the effect of light from candles. On the artistic side, enterprises specializing in the restoration of Historical monuments actively collaborated with artisans, bearers of centuries-old knowledge and skills. They cleaned the murals, polished 1100 sq. m. of polychrome marble, bronze was gilded, metal jewelry and forging elements were restored, 770 sq. m. m. of floors, covered wooden surfaces with gold leaf using traditional technology.

All 357 mirrors, which gave the name to this fabulous gallery, included in the UNESCO List world heritage humanity, underwent special [treatmentk. The restoration work was entrusted to a specialist in antique mirrors. All the mirrors were removed and the damaged glass was replaced with mercury coated mirrors, the same as the original mirrors, of which 70% remained in the gallery, to everyone's surprise. The specialist thus restored 309 mirrors, of which he completely replaced 48, either broken or dating from a different era. The same mirror maker unexpectedly discovered under the roof of the Senate a warehouse of ancient mirrors, preserved from the time when the palace was the residence of the king's brother. The master cut them in accordance with the original to install them in the gallery. The secret of making Venetian mercury-coated mirrors was passed on to several workers whom Colbert lured from Murano and hired for 4 years at Versailles. But this process of making mirrors turned out to be deadly for large quantity glass workers poisoned by mercury vapor. Therefore, in 1850, this technology was completely banned in France, where even then it was replaced by the production of silver-coated mirrors.

For the first time in the history of cultural patronage in France, under an agreement agreed with the administrative court of Versailles, the state officially entrusted the entire range of work to a private enterprise. The general design was naturally entrusted to the chief architect of the Historical Monuments, with the support of the Supervisory Committee and the International Scientific Council, consisting of twenty specialists. For this exceptional work, Vinci, employing one hundred experienced restorers, was awarded the first medal [Outstanding Patron of the Ministry of Culture and Communications]. This medal was established in 2003 during the adoption of a new law on patronage of the arts, allowing for such events.

The Mirror Gallery was created between 1678 and 1684. Jules Hardouin-Mansart (1646 1708); it connected the king's large apartments with the queen's apartments. Charles Lebrun (1619-1690), his first artist, was commissioned by the Sun King to reproduce in painting the ceiling vaults the most significant events of the first 17 years of his reign (military victories, administrative and economic reforms). Guided by his astonishing genius, the artist depicted these scenes through endless allegories, perspectives, visual illusions, and knock reliefs. Instead of the usual images of gods or heroes in the central part of the ceiling painting, the artist decided to depict the king himself seated on the throne. Racine gave this painting famous name: [The king rules himself. This thousand sq. m. ceiling paintings represent the largest pictorial ensemble in France.

In this very solemn hall of the Palace of Versailles, the weddings of princes took place (in particular, the future king Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette), one court holiday replaced another. The gallery of mirrors, a symbol of [the French genius], was also ideal place for audiences provided to distinguished foreign guests. After the fall of the monarchy, the gallery continued to serve as a place where historical events took place. During the Second Empire, Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie revived the pomp of the royal regime's balls for the last time, receiving Queen Victoria in the gallery on August 25, 1855. It was there that the German Empire was proclaimed on January 18, 1871 and the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 18, 1919 , which ended the First World War (1914 1918).

Presented to the public in all the splendor of its pristine lighting, the newly restored huge hall (173 m long, 10.5 m wide and 12.5 m high under the dome) during all three years of work, however, was never closed for excursions. It was impossible to deprive the 4 million tourists who visit the palace every year of such pleasure. About 6,000 visitors, of which about 1,000 were young people, were even able to climb the scaffolding to join the profession of restorer and watched with admiration up close the revival of Lebrun's magnificent paintings, sometimes spoiled by unsuccessful previous restorations or simply darkened by time.

For three centuries of French history, alas, left the gallery in a state of general pollution: everything was black, darkened, recalls Frederic Didier, while Lebrun was a great colorist. The female restorers spent three years literally not looking up from painting the ceiling, passionate about their work, realizing that [there would never be such a restoration in their lives. As a result of their meticulous work, to everyone's surprise, the amazing blue color of lapis lazuli was revealed, which covers the sky and illuminates the entire vault of the ceiling. Other paintings revealed bright reds, yellows, lilacs, grays, and at the same time the inappropriate later layers of paint disappeared. Thus, it was discovered that 80% of the paintings were recorded by artists of subsequent generations.

[Everyone has ever entered the Gallery of Mirrors, but who could say until today that he had seen it? Nobody. The reason is simple: she was invisible. This remark, which has already lost its relevance, belongs to Jacques Thuillier, the author of a wonderful small book [Mirror Gallery: a newfound masterpiece.

Claudine Canetti

Web site:

www.chateauversailles.fr

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The Mirror Gallery was not one of the first major construction projects erected in Versailles by the architect Levo. In Louis XIII's 1668 stone building project around a small castle, this area was allocated for a terrace. And only a few years later, the architect J. Hardouin-Mansart presented to the king on September 26, 1678, the year of the signing of Nimwegen peace treaty, project for the construction of the Mirror Gallery. Construction was completed the same year.

The War Hall, the Gallery of Mirrors and the Peace Hall are a single ensemble with decor dedicated to the military and political successes of Louis XIV. The enfilade principle of planning triumphs here. Picturesque medallions by Lebrun on the box vault of the gallery, 75 meters long and 10 meters wide, glorify the military victories of Louis XIV.

Versailles from the courtyards

The marble decoration seems to radiate a cold blue light and emphasizes the severity and grandeur of this state room. The arched high windows on the inner longitudinal wall are echoed by mirrors of similar shape and size, and this creates the impression of the limitless width of the hall, which is closed at the ends by the Hall of Peace and the Hall of War.

At first, Louis XIV ordered silver furniture made according to the designs of Charles Lebrun to be placed in the Gallery of Mirrors. However, in 1689 this furniture was melted down to replenish the state treasury, which was empty as a result of military campaigns. The set included tall candelabra, round low tables for lamps and large vases of the finest chased work, made by the best jewelers of that time. The fireplace, made according to a sketch by Lebrun, is decorated with a bas-relief by Antoine Coyzevaux. The large medallion above it is dedicated to one of the main events of the Dutch War: here Louis XIV is represented in the costume of an ancient warrior on horseback during the crossing of the Rhine on June 2, 1672. Below, the relief depicts the patroness of history, the muse Clio, recording the history of the king of France in the annals.

In the era of the pre-revolutionary monarchy, the Mirror Gallery led to the Great Royal Chambers. Courtiers gathered here in the hope of seeing the king, who went to the chapel every morning. Some took the opportunity to petition. When, during particularly solemn audiences, Louis XIV received foreign ambassadors, such as the Ambassador of Siam in 1686, the silver throne of the monarch was installed in the Gallery of Mirrors, which was transferred from the Salon of Apollo. It also hosted lavish celebrations, ceremonial balls and masquerade balls, which were given in honor of royal weddings. The Ambassador of Venice, who was present at one of these receptions, wrote that the gallery was brighter than during the day, and his eyes refused to believe that such a bright, unprecedented spectacle was happening in reality.

The mirror gallery of the Palace of Versailles was the result of a search for new spatial and lighting effects, and in addition, it was supposed to demonstrate the achievements of the French glass industry, its first victories over Venice.

On June 28, 1919, the Treaty ending the First World War was signed in the Mirror Gallery.