Versailles, From Hunting Lodge To Opulent Palace

King Louis XIV wanted a little hunting lodge away from Court where he could hunt and relax with his friends

. Far out into the country about 20 kilometers southwest of Paris, King Louis ordered the construction of his lodge in 1624 on the very ground he had hunted and played as a child. Little did he know at that point that Versailles would become the governing capital of France and one of the richest and most opulent palaces in the world.

The hunting chateau was transformed over the next several decades and the court was officially established there on May 6, 1682. He loved the countryside so much that he decided to more the Royal Family and all their nobles, ladies and attendants with him. Louis was hoping by moving the court away from Paris he would could distance himself from the every prying eyes of the people. He also wanted to extract more control over the nobility and government. Louis was a stickler on protocol and etiquette, and established so many rules and regulations relating to court that they were almost impossible to follow. An example of the length to which these were followed was the procedures that accompanied his rising in the morning. Louis XIV took these morning rituals to elaborate lengths.

King Louis XIV was awoken exactly at eight o'clock by his head valet de chamber. The chief surgeon, chief physician and Louis childhood nurse all entered the bedchambers at the same time. With the absence of indoor plumbing, the night chamber pot was removed. The curtains were again drawn and exactly at eight fifteen, the Grand Chamberlain entered with the nobles in tow. The privilege of Grande entree could be purchased, upon the king's approval. The king met these nobles in bed in his nightshirt that was ceremoniously removed by the Master of the Bedchamber and the First Servant, both high nobles. On and on went the ceremonies followed with precision, never altered, each morning of Louis' reign.

The absence of plumbing and plumbers made life interesting in Versailles. With thousands of people living in close quarters, sanitation was something of a problem. The castle was continually added on to for the next 30 years. Chambermaids continually scoured the halls and stairwells to keep the stench to a minimum. Versailles may be the most beautiful palace in the world, but it could have used more sanitation facilities. Drain cleaning was a constant problem, but when working, the odors were far less revolting.

The grounds of Versailles are as stunning as the palace, with fountains, statues, forest and a lovely chateau later built by Marie Antoinette. What started as a hunting cottage for the king evolved into 37000 acres of tree-lined terraces, walkways, cottages, and a palace that covers 16.55 acres in itself. Maybe there were a lack of plumbers but there were no lack of artisans and nobles making this one of the most visited palaces in the world.

by: Art Gib

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