Palace of Versailles

Versailles was the royal residence of France for a little more than a century--from 1682 until 1789, when the French Revolution began. Louis XIII built a hunting lodge at the village outside Paris in 1624. This small structure became the base on which was constructed one of the most costly and extravagant buildings in the world. It was meant to be a home for Louis XIV.  About 37,000 acres of land were cleared to make room for tree-lined terraces, walks and thousands of flowering plants. There were 1,400 fountains and 400 pieces of new sculpture.

It was rainy and very crowded the day we were there, but it could not take away from the beauty of the home.

The Hall of Mirrors

One of the many ornate ceilings