Room at Versailles

This is the state dining room.   Kings and queens from around the world were invited here to dine with the kings Louis and their queens.

This is the bed where the kings slept.  This one is in the bedroom.  There was another bed closer to the chamber where important decisions were being made and the king could be summoned from his sleep if his signature was need immediately.

This is the bed of the queens.  Chambers for her ladies-in-waiting were close by so they could be at her majesties bidding.

 It was amazing how much gold and gold leafing was used throught the palace during the reigns of these kings. 










This is the breakfast room for the king and queen.  Naturally this room was close to their bed chambers.  Only those closest to the king or queen were allowed to enter during their meal.  The small red velvet covered seats lined up in the forefront were reserved for those invited into the breakfast room.

This is the famous Hall of Mirrors.  The windows and the chandeliers reflecting in that wall of mirros really make for a room filled with light.  The gardens seens from these floor-to-ceiling windows are beautiful to look at.  The gardens had already finished with their beautiful array of blossoms by the time we visited.

Objects of interest...............

The Bureau de Roi (the king's desk) was commissioned by Louis XV and started by Jean-Francois Oeben.  He started constructing the desk in 1760.  Oeben died before finishing the desk.  Jean Henri Riesener married Oeben's widow and finished the desk in 1769.  It is covered with intricate marquetry of various woods.  Louis XV and XVI carried out their daily kingly duties at this desk.  It was taken to the Louvre when Louis XVI and Marie Antionette when taken during the French Revolution and stayed there until the 20th century when the Louvre returned it to the Palace at Versailles.

Chandeliers such as these decorate the rooms and halls throughout the palace.  These lead crystal chandeliers were made in the north Bohemic region, known today as the Czech Republic.  Glassmaking in that area had been greatly treasured since the fourteenth century. 

This is another of the scientific inventions that Louis XIV had brought to Versaille.  It is one of the first to measure barometric pressure.

Versailles at last!

We had tickets for a 2:00PM tour.  When we finally reached Versailles, it was about 10 minutes before the hour.  We tried to get a taxi to take us up to the palace, but he refused.  Pat ran ahead (literally, and it was another of the UPHILL runs) to try to catch the tour for us and to see if they would wait for all of us to get there.  When she got there, the tour had just left.  Another guide ran ahead to stop the tour for us.  After we all got there, this lady also brought all of us a drink of water.  We must have looked like a ragged bunch!

Louis XIV was well known for his patronage of the arts and that especially included the sciences.  There are many scientific examples in the palace at Versailles.  This clock not only told the time but also the month, day of the week, and the year.  The globe on top also showed the phases of the moon and the astrological signs.

this is a close up of the date mechanism.  Notice all the gold?  Wonder why there was a revolution?