1693, "Bassin de l'Encélade" Jean Cotelle, ca. The Gardens of Versailles (French: Jardins du château de Versailles; French pronunciation: ​[ʒaʁdɛ̃ dy ʃato də versaij]) occupy part of what was once the Domaine royal de Versailles, the royal demesne of the château of Versailles. However, with an eye on economy, Louis XVI ordered the palissades – the labour-intensive clipped hedging that formed walls in the bosquets – to be replaced with rows of lime trees or chestnut trees. The Versailles gardens took 40 years to complete, and … Versailles was designed as a palatial centre of government for an absolute monarch, Louis XIV. "Construction projetée sous Louis XIV à Versailles d'un pavillon d'Apollon. Occupying the site of the Galerie d'Eau (1678), the Galerie des Antiques was designed in 1680 to house the collection of antique statues and copies of antique statues acquired by the Académie de France in Rome. The following year, construction began on the Salle de Bal. Directed by Alan Rickman. ", Lighthart, Edward. The groves of Versailles created by André Le Nôtre, gardener and architect to the King, saw many Court entertainments and have often been modified over the years. Free Wi-Fi points are located in the Main Courtyard and at the garden entrance, and a free Gardens of Versailles app is available to download. In 1761, Louis XV commissioned Ange-Jacques Gabriel to build the Petit Trianon as a residence that would allow him to spend more time near the jardins botaniques. (Hedin 1992; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985), During this phase of construction, three of the garden's major bosquets were modified or created. As of 2008, this bosquet is in the process of being restored (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). ", Weber, Gerold. [3], In 1979, the gardens along with the château were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, one of thirty-one such designations in France. The year 1704 witnessed a major renovation of the bosquet at which time the causeway was remodelled and most of the water jets were removed. At this time, the bosquet was rechristened Jardin du Roi (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). 1713, "Bosquet de l'Île Royale et le Bassin du Miroir" by Étienne Allegrain, ca. Accordingly, Louis XIV's building campaigns apply to the gardens as well. It is this final version of the fountain that one sees today at Versailles. (Marie 1984; Verlet 1985), Rather than expend resources on modifying the gardens at Versailles, Louis XV – an avid botanist – directed his efforts at Trianon. [2], In addition to the meticulous manicured lawns, parterres, and sculptures are the fountains, which are located throughout the garden. Bassin d'Apollon - Apollo Fountain, contemporary view, "Versailles, le jardin du Roi" by Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, 1914–1920, oil on canvas, 17 x 30 cm, Musée Lambinet. Bosquet du Marais - Bosquet du Chêne Vert – Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon – Grotte des Bains d'Apollon Built in 1675, the Bosquet de la Renommée featured a fountain statue of Fame – hence the name of the bosquet. Conditions to access the estate of Versailles. It can be breezy in the gardens even in summer, so bring a jacket. Between 9,000–10,000 troops were pressed in service in 1685; the next year, more than 20,000 soldiers were engaged in construction. [6], From this point forward, the expansion of the gardens of Versailles followed the expansions of the château. Common to any long-lived garden is replantation, and Versailles is no exception. In 1661 Louis XIV entrusted André Le Nôtre with the creation and renovation of the gardens of Versailles, which he considered just as important as the Palace. Yet, the very element that animates the gardens, water, has proven to be the affliction of the gardens since the time of Louis XIV. Arguably one of the most beautiful parks in Ile-de-France (and the world! Dangeau, Philippe de Courcillon, marquis de. "Versailles and the 'Mercure Gallant': The Promenade of the Siamese Ambassadors. ", Pinatel, Christine. A century later, in 1817, Louis XVIII ordered the Île du Roi and the Miroir d'Eau to be completely remodeled as an English-style garden. Château de Versailles. (Lighthart, 1997; Mâle, 1927). In 1674, as a result of a series of diplomatic arrangements that benefited Louis XIV, the king ordered the construction of Petite Venise (Little Venice). Today, the museum of Versailles is still faced with water problems. Between 1668 and 1674, a project was undertaken to divert the water of the Bièvre river to Versailles. Pumping capacity was increased via increased power and the number of pistons used for lifting the water. 1693, "Vue de l'Orangerie" by Jean Cotelle, ca. ), Bosquets of the gardens of Versailles: 17th-century views, Modern views of the gardens of Versailles, Berger, Robert W. "Les guides imprimés de Versailles sous Louis XIV et le œuvres d'art allégoriques. 1670, Apollo attended by nymphsby François Girardon and Thomas Regnaudin, ca. ", Friedman, Ann. Colonial Americas. (Thompson 2006), Parterre d'Eau Between 1680 and Louis XIV's death in 1715, there was near-constant rearranging of the statues that decorated the bosquet. Originally, these statues were set in three individual niches in the grotto and were surrounded by various fountains and water features. When in play, this fountain has the tallest jet of all the fountains in the gardens of Versailles – 25 metres (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). In their history, the gardens of Versailles have undergone no less than five major replantations, which have been executed for practical and aesthetic reasons. "La clôture du grand parc de Versailles. From April 4th to November 1st 2020, enjoy the Musical Fountains Shows and the Musical Gardens in the Gardens and the groves open for the occasion. As part of the replantation of the gardens ordered by Louis XVI during the winter of 1774–1775, the Bosquet du Théâtre d'Eau was destroyed and replaced with the unadorned Bosquet du Rond-Vert (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). After we explored the Palace of Versailles in the morning, we made our way out to the expansive and opulent gardens, which sprawl over nearly 2,000 acres of land surrounding the palace. With this measure of economy, fountains still consumed 12,800 m3 of water per day, far above the capacity of the existing supplies. 1693, "Salle des Festins ou Salle du Conseil" by Étienne Allegrain, ca. Massive soil erosion necessitated planting of new trees. Situated to the west of the palace, the gardens cover some 800 hectares of land, much of which is landscaped in the classic French formal garden style perfected here by André Le Nôtre. The marvel of the gardens of Versailles – then as now – is the fountains. Trees and shrubbery dating from the reign of Louis XIV were felled or uprooted with the intent of transforming the French garden of Le Nôtre and Hardouin-Mansart into an English garden. Rachel Ruysch, Fruit and Insects. "Les statues aux façades du château de Versailles. From its conception, this fountain was conceived as an allegory of Louis XIV's victory over the Fronde. Two talented landscape artists become romantically entangled while building a garden in King Louis XIV's palace at Versailles. Versailles Garden France Wall Art Print, France Art, Photography Prints, Versailles Garden Photography, France Wall Art, Versailles Print SkariStudio. In 1661 Louis XIV entrusted André Le Nôtre with the creation and renovation of the gardens of Versailles, which he considered just as important as the Palace. The bosquet was completely remodeled in 1704 at which time it was rechristened Bosquet de l'Étoile (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). Statues from the Grande Commande of 1674 were relocated to other parts of the garden; two twin octagonal basins were constructed and decorated with bronze statues representing the four main rivers of France. During the winter of 1774–1775, Louis XVI ordered the replanting of the gardens on the grounds that many of the trees were diseased or overgrown and needed to be replaced. Grotte de Thétys Grotte des Bains d'Apollon, contemporary view. The Italian renaissance garden was the model for the early design of the Versailles gardens by Le Nôtre. The grotto was a freestanding structure located just north of the château. Additionally, a number of the bosquets dating from the time of the Sun King were extensively modified or destroyed. Warning: exceptional closing of the gardens at 5:30 PM (last entry at 5:00 PM) for some days. Thousands of men, sometimes even entire regiments, took part in this immense project. The Pompe drew water from the Clagny pond using a system of windmills and horsepower to a cistern housed in the Pompe's building. It was one of the most incredible places I have ever seen. Etna, being consumed by volcanic lava. 1693, "Bassin de Neptune" by Jean Cotelle, ca. With Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Stanley Tucci, Matthias Schoenaerts. Versailles, built just outside Paris in the 17th century, is one of the best-known French castles. 1693. Despite the fact that the gardens consumed more water per day than the entire city of Paris, the Machine de Marly remained in operation until 1817 (Thompson, 2006). [8], In 1662, minor modifications to the château were undertaken; however, greater attention was given to developing the gardens. "The evolution of the Parterre d'eau. (Marie 1968; Nolhac 1901, 1925; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). Favorite Add to Versailles . "Charles LeBrun: Recueil des divers dessins de fontaines. Welcome to the gardens When you arrive at the Palace, you can go directly to the gardens by going to the top left-hand side of the Cour d'Honneur, then entering the gate of the courtyard of the Princes. This unique east-west perspective originally dates from before the reign of Louis XIV, but it was developed and extended by the gardener André Le Nôtre, who widened the Royal Way and dug the Grand Canal. Yet 'garden' is scarcely a fitting designation. Owing to the natural cycle of replantations that has occurred at Versailles, it is safe to state that no trees dating from the time of Louis XIV are to be found in the gardens. Latona and her children, Apollo and Diana, being tormented with mud slung by Lycian peasants, who refused to let her and her children drink from their pond, appealed to Jupiter who responded by turning the Lycians into frogs. DISCRIPTION • Versailles is the most famous garden in the world. Bosquet de la Renommée—Bosquet des Dômes While much of the chateau's interior was irreparably altered to accommodate the Museum of the History of France dedicated to "all the glories of France" (inaugurated by Louis-Philippe on 10 June 1837), the gardens, by contrast, remained untouched. Even with the additional output from the Machine de Marly, fountains in the garden could only be run à l'ordinaire – which is to say at half-pressure. In the Gardens too, the Grand Trianon was built to provide Sun King with the retreat he wanted. In 1750, the year in which les jardins botaniques were constructed, the Jardinier-Fleuriste, Claude Richard (1705–1784), assumed administration of the botanical gardens. In 1682, the southern bosquet was remodeled as the Bosquet de la Girondole, thus named due to spoke-like arrangement of the central fountain. The palace itself is designed with elaborate architecture and attention to detail, but for many it's the gardens at Versailles that are worth visiting. The garden is open every day from 8.00 to 20.00. 1693, "Bosquet de l'Étoile ou la Montagne d'eau" by Jean Cotelle, ca. The Machine de Marly was designed to lift water from the Seine in three stages to the aqueduc de Louveciennes some 100 metres above the level of the river. [17] In 1664, Louis XIV commissioned a series of statues intended to decorate the water feature of the Parterre d'Eau. In 1705, this bosquet was destroyed in order to allow for the creation of the Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon, which was created to house the statues had once stood in the Grotte de Thétys. This is evidenced in the clear definition of the main east–west and north–south axis that anchors the gardens' layout. The Palace of Versailles, the Grand and the Petit Trianon are closed. In 1704, three additional entrances to the Colonnade were added, which reduced the number of fountains from thirty-one to twenty-eight. In 1676, the Bassin des Sapins,[29] which was located north of the château below the Parterre du Nord and the Allée des Marmousets[30] was designed to form a topological pendant along the north–south axis with the Pièce d'eau des Suisses located at the base of the Satory hill south of the château. Following damage caused by a series of storms in the late 20th century, including one in December 1999, which was the most devastating, the garden has been fully replanted and now boasts a fresh, youthful appearance similar to how it would have looked to Louis XIV. 1693, "Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon" by Pierre-Denis Martin (Martin le Jeune), ca. The laying out of the gardens required enormous work. ", Marriage, Thierry. Le Petit Trianon and Garden, The Palace of Versailles… Later modifications in the garden would transform this fountain into the Bassin de Neptune. The 250 acres are riddled with paths that lead to flower beds, quiet corners decorated with classical statuary, ornamental lakes, and a canal used for gondola rides by King Louis XIV. Bosquet des Sources - La Colonnade The Petit Trianon is associated with Marie-Antoinette, who spent her time there with her closest relatives and friends. 1688, "Le théâtre d'eau-vue de a scène" by Jean Cotelle, ca. ", This page was last edited on 3 December 2020, at 02:54. In the château, a suite of rooms was arranged for the use of the empress Marie-Louise, but the gardens were left unchanged, save for the disastrous felling trees in the Bosquet de l'Arc de Triomphe and the Bosquet des Trois Fontaines. The following are sources that have contributed to the above article. 1693, "Bosquet des Dômes" by Jean Cotelle, ca. The replantations have allowed museum and governmental authorities to restore and rebuild some of the bosquets abandoned during the reign of Louis XVI, such as the Bosquet des Trois Fontaines, which was restored in 2004. [5], In 1661, after the disgrace of the finance minister Nicolas Fouquet, who was accused by rivals of embezzling crown funds in order to build his luxurious château at Vaux-le-Vicomte, Louis XIV turned his attention to Versailles. You may choose a ticket online. 1693, "Bosquet du Marais" by Jean Cotelle, ca. The old Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon was renamed Bosquet des Dômes due to two domed pavilions built in the bosquet (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). Situated above the Latona Fountain is the terrace of the château, known as the Parterre d'Eau. Beyond the channel and placed at the cardinal points within the bosquet were four additional fountains. "Archétype et symbole dans le style Louis XIV versaillais: réflexions sur, Loach, J. 5 out of 5 stars (62) 62 reviews $ 18.75. Galerie d'Eau - Galerie des Antiques - Salle des Marronniers In 1817, Louis XVIII ordered the conversion of the Île du Roi and the Miroir d'Eau into an English-style garden – the Jardin du Roi. With the completion of the Grand Canal in 1671, which served as drainage for the fountains of the garden, water, via a system of windmills, was pumped back to the reservoir on top of the Grotte de Thétys. Symbolically, the "Grotte de Thétys" related to the myth of Apollo – and by that association to Louis XIV. Authentic gardens of versailles planter boxes are Inspired by the work of André Le Nôtre, gardener of the King Louis XIV of France, this beautiful gardens of versailles planter boxes from L'Orangerie from the palace of Versailles are perfect for topiaries and small trees.. Engendered by a change in outlook as advocated by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the Philosophes, the winter of 1774–1775 witnessed a complete replanting of the gardens. 1693, "Bosquet des trois fontaines-vue de face" by Jean Cotelle, ca. "The Parterre d'eau at Versailles: an eighteenth-century recollection. The gardens are open every day from 8 am to 8.30 pm during the high season (April to October) and from 8 am to 6 pm during the low season (November to March) except for exceptional events and when there are Fountains Night Show (closure at 5.30 pm). ", Souchal, François. Created in 1670, this bosquet originally contained a central rectangular pool surrounded by a turf border. (Nolhac 1899, 1902), The "Grotte de Thétys", which was located to the north of the château, formed part of the iconography of the château and of the gardens that aligned Louis XIV with solar imagery. Not long after, the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart, having been made First Architect to the King and Superintendant of Buildings, built the Orangery and simplified the outlines of the Park, in particular by modifying or opening up some of the groves. Palace of Versailles gardens is one of the largest gardens ever created. (Verlet 1985), By 1664, the gardens had evolved to the point that Louis XIV inaugurated the gardens with the fête galante called "Les Plaisirs de l'Île Enchantée". Guests were regaled with fabulous entertainments in the gardens over a period of one week. Seeming to heed his great-grandfather's admonition not to engage in costly building campaigns, Louis XV did not undertake the costly building campaigns at Versailles that Louis XIV had. With the exception of the state visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1855, at which time the gardens were a setting for a gala fête that recalled the fêtes of Louis XIV, Napoléon III ignored the château, preferring instead the château of Compiègne (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). In 1671, the bosquet was enlarged with a more elaborate system of paths that served to enhance the new central water feature, a fountain that resembled a mountain, hence the bosquets new name: Bosquet de la Montagne d'Eau. The park and gadens are open every day. Seizing upon the success of a system devised in 1680 that raised water from the Seine to the gardens of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, construction of the Machine de Marly began the following year. Exterior of the Grotte de Thétysby Jean Le Pautre, 1672, Interior of the Grotte de Thétysby Jean Le Pautre, 1676, Apollo's horses groomed by two Tritons by Gilles Guérin, ca. The gardens of Louis XIII required water and local ponds provided an adequate supply. Bosquet de l'Encélade Despite the augmentation of water from the Bièvre, the gardens needed still more water, which necessitated more projects. Further along the east–west axis is the Bassin d'Apollon – the Apollo Fountain. ", Wiebenson, Dora. "Commentaires anglais du XVIIe siècle sur le parc de Versailles. "Essais sur le Versailles de Louis XIV I: La distribution du château Versailles, le plan du domaine et de la ville.". ", Hedin, Thomas. In the area now occupied by the Hameau de la Reine, Louis XV constructed and maintained les jardins botaniques – the botanical gardens. Under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the bosquet was completely remodeled in 1706. In 1681, one of the most ambitious water projects conceived during the reign of Louis XIV was undertaken. Dating from the time of Louis XIV and still using much of the same network of hydraulics as was used during the Ancien Régime, the fountains contribute to making the gardens of Versailles unique. The bosquet was renamed the Grotte des Bains d'Apollon (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). Salle des Festins - Salle du Conseil - Bosquet de l'Obélisque Designed as a simple unadorned salle de verdure by Le Nôtre in 1678, the landscape architect enhanced and incorporated an existing stream to create a bosquet that featured rivulets that twisted among nine islets. Between 1686 and 1687, the Bassin de Latone, under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart, was rebuilt. Gardens of Versailles & Musical Fountains Shows Every summer, the Château de Versailles offers great entertainments inside the Garden of Versailles to give visitors the experience of how magnificent celebrations were inside the Garden at the time of Louis XIV. These plans were never put into action; however, the gardens were opened to the public – it was not uncommon to see people washing their laundry in the fountains and spreading it on the shrubbery to dry. "Charles Le Brun as Landscape Architect: His Designs for the First Parterre d'eau at Versailles. Tour directions for the official guides have survived; they are discussed by Robert W. Berger and Thomas P. Hedin, For the relation of the imagery of the garden and the decor of the, Period sources include: (Anonymous, 1685); (Dangeau, 1854-60); (Félibien, 1703); (, The Clagny pond, which was located near the, Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles, "Versailles / Les bosquets : scènes du pouvoir", scan of Perrault's book at the Bibliothèque nationale de France, "Mazes and Labyrinths: Chapter XIV. ", Hoog, Simone. With the relocation of the statues from the Grotte de Thétys in 1684, the bosquet was remodeled to accommodate the statues and the Fame fountain was removed. Excavated in 1678, the Pièce d'eau des Suisses[31] – named for the Swiss Guards who constructed the lake – occupied an area of marshes and ponds, some of which had been used to supply water for the fountains in the garden. "Le clef des allégories peintes et sculptées de Versailles. These works of art are also a paradise representative of the ambitions of Louis XIV when he was a young king. "Entrée du Labyrinthe" by Jean Cotelle, ca. Deux Bosquets - Bosquet de la Girondole - Bosquet du Dauphin - Quinconce du Nord - Quinconce du Midi Records indicate that late in the decade Claude Mollet and Hilaire Masson designed the gardens, which remained relatively unchanged until the expansion ordered under Louis XIV in the 1660s. In that year, Louis Le Vau designed the Pompe, a water tower built north of the château. The fountain forms a focal point in the garden and serves as a transitional element between the gardens of the Petit Parc and the Grand Canal. In addition to the Orangerie, the Escaliers des Cent Marches,[33] which facilitated access to the gardens from the south, to the Pièce d'Eau des Suisses, and to the Parterre du Midi[34] were constructed at this time, giving the gardens just south of the château their present configuration and decoration. Nolhac, an ardent archivist and scholar, began to piece together the history of Versailles, and subsequently established the criteria for restoration of the château and preservation of the gardens, which are ongoing to this day. As André Félibien noted in his description of Versailles, solar and apollonian themes predominated with projects constructed at this time: "Since the sun was the emblem of Louis XIV, and that poets join the sun and Apollo, there is nothing in this superb house that does not relation to this divinity. From the seat of power to a museum of the history of France. In 1674, the Pompe was enlarged – hence referred to as the Grande Pompe. The sculptors Jean-Baptiste Tuby, Étienne Le Hongre, Pierre Le Gros, and the brothers Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy worked on these thirty-nine fountains each of which was accompanied by a plaque on which the fable was printed, with verse written by Isaac de Benserade; from these plaques, Louis XIV's son learned to read. Other sources included a series of reservoirs located on the Satory Plateau south of the château (Verlet, 1985). 1693, "Parterre du Nord" by Étienne Allegrain, ca. The Labyrinthe contained fourteen water-wheels driving 253 pumps, some of which worked at a distance of three-quarters of a mile. Rachel Ruysch, Fruit and Insects. Bosquet de la Montagne d'Eau - Bosquet de l'Étoile Last but not least, each project was reviewed by the King himself, who was keen to see “every detail”. Administered by the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles, an autonomous public entity operating under the aegis of the French Ministry of Culture, the gardens are now one of the most visited public sites in France, receiving more than six million visitors a year. With the arrival of Pierre de Nolhac as director of the museum in 1892, a new era of historical research began at Versailles. ", Berger, Robert W. "A Source for the Latona Group at Versailles. Replenishment of the water lost due to evaporation comes from rainwater, which is collected in cisterns that are located throughout the gardens and diverted to the reservoirs and the Grand Canal. Behind the palace, the ground falls away on every side from a terrace adorned with ornamental basins, statues, and bronze groups. Built on the order of Louis XIV in 1661and designed by the famous landscape designer André Le Nôtre, the gardens were considered just as important as … The link between Ovid's story and this episode from French history is emphasized by the reference to "mud slinging" in a political context. In 1684, the island was removed and the total number of water jets in the bosquet was significantly reduced. However, once Louis XIV began expanding the gardens with more and more fountains, supplying the gardens with water became a critical challenge. It is not an exhaustive list, yet it represents the most readily available imprints: Aerial view of the gardens from above the palace. We offer a wide selection of French fountains, ceramics, statuary, wrought iron gazebos, earthenware and accessories for outdoor living spaces and gardens. (Thompson 2006), The Napoleonic era largely ignored Versailles. In the case of the Grandes Eaux – when all the fountains played to their maximum – more than 10,000 m3 of water was needed for one afternoon's display. At Versailles, the development of the gardens preceded that of the palace. In its place, an arboretum of exotic trees was planted as an English-styled garden. This early layout, which has survived in the so-called Du Bus plan of c.1662, shows an established topography along which lines of the gardens evolved. Bosquet du Théâtre d'Eau is being recreated in 2014, with South Korean businessman and photographer Yoo Byung-eun being the sole patron, donating €1.4 million (~US$1.9 million) to the project.[40][41][42][43]. La Colonnade with the "Abduction of Persephone" by François Girardon. Visitors looking through the central window in the Hall of Mirrors will see the Grande Perspective stretching away towards the horizon from the Water Parterre. Accordingly, the Grandes Eaux were reserved for special occasions such as the Siamese Embassy of 1685–1686 (Hedin, 1992; Mercure Galant, 1685). While it was possible to keep the fountains in view from the château running, those concealed in the bosquets and in the farther reaches of the garden were run on an as-needed basis. The central feature of this bosquet, which was designed by Le Nôtre between 1671 and 1674, was an auditorium/theater sided by three tiers of turf seating that faced a stage decorated with four fountains alternating with three radiating cascades. In 1678, an octagonal ring of turf and eight rocaille fountains surrounding the central fountain were added. Each lobe of the island contained simple fountain; access to the island was obtained by two swing bridges. ", Nolhac, Pierre de. The revolts of the Fronde – the word fronde also means slingshot – have been regarded as the origin of the use of the term "mud slinging" in a political context. The palace though is closed on Mondays and the Trianon Palace and Marie-Antoinette's Estate are only open in afternoons (not Monday). The most significant contribution to the gardens during the reign of Louis XVI was the Grotte des Bains d'Apollon. The most recent replantations of the gardens were precipitated by two storms that battered Versailles in 1990 and then again in 1999. Versailles before Louis XIV Bassin des Sapins In 1665, André Le Nôtre planned a hedge maze of unadorned paths in an area south of the Latona Fountain near the Orangerie. The scale is monumental and there is little sense of enclosure. Access to the gardens is free of charge, except for Fountain Show and Musical Gardens … This water feature, with a surface area of more than 15 hectares, is the second largest – after the Grand Canal – at Versailles. Due to storm damage in the park in 1990 and then again in 1999, the Bosquet des Trois Fontaines was restored and reinaugurated on 12 June 2004 (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). Between 1686 and 1689, when the Nine Years' War began, one-tenth of France's military was at work on the Canal de l'Eure project. Owing largely to the topology of the land, the English esthetic was abandoned and the gardens replanted in the French style. Versailles… DISCRIPTION • Versailles was designed as a palatial centre of government for an absolute monarch, Louis and... Le jeun Bassin de Neptune by Louis XIII required water and local ponds provided an supply... Three individual niches in the world 's most famous garden, the project was undertaken in 1685 ; next... Was one of the château, known as the topology of the Siamese Ambassadors by André Nôtre... ÉTienne Allegrain, ca year it was as the topology of the pool featured an iron with... 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Decorated the bosquet was rechristened bosquet des trois fontaines-vue de face '' by Étienne Allegrain,.! The Italian renaissance garden was the model for the Latona fountain is the Bassin de Latone Schoenaerts... These gardens southwest of Paris in the hydraulic system that supplied water to the aqueduct, which necessitated massive... Is monumental and there is little sense of enclosure in your lifetime Nôtre, the island contained fountain... Cave of the gardens of Louis XIV 's reign, water supply systems represented one-third of the de. A circular arched double peristyle did so at the same time as work... That anchors the gardens at 5:30 PM ( last entry at 5:00 PM for! Water projects conceived during the Grandes Eaux, water was raised an 56. [ 17 ] in 1664, Louis XV and the gardens during the reign Napoleon. Setting for the 10th edition of the fountain that featured twenty-four water jets various fountains and sculptures cover grounds., an octagonal ring of turf and eight rocaille fountains surrounding the central fountain were added, carried. With Marie-Antoinette, who was keen to see in your lifetime on the gardens in! Was inaugurated in 1685 the Grande Pompe [ 39 ] Citing repair and maintenance costs, Louis and... Of enclosure in Rome were displayed myth of Apollo – and by that to... De l'amphithéâtre '' by François Girardon, far above the capacity of the largest gardens ever created de! 39 ] Citing repair and maintenance costs, Louis XIV Festins ou Salle du Conseil by., 78 additional pumps raised the water to the island was removed and.. By Andre Le Notre imagine anything—certainly a garden—enduring for nearly 300 years a formal garden at Versailles, Prints... More water, which necessitated more projects cover some 800 hectares of land and it was landscaped in the style!, took part in this immense project palace and Marie-Antoinette 's Estate are only open in afternoons ( Monday... Located on the Salle de Bal Latona Group at Versailles palatial centre of government for an absolute monarch, XIV! As director of the most beautiful parks in Ile-de-France ( and the 'Mercure Gallant ': Promenade... Jets in the gardens of Versailles followed the expansions of the most significant among the creations at this time the. Des Dômes '' by Jean Cotelle, ca be breezy in the 17th century residence and seat of power a! Fountain were added conveyed from the Bièvre, the island was obtained by two swing bridges Galerie. By Louis XIII, 1674 ) the Eure river, located 160 km the replantation of 1774–1775 both... À Tête ) next lesson stars ( 62 ) 62 reviews $ 18.75 the reign of Napoleon.... Origines du projet de Nicodème Tessin Le jeun shortage problems was undertaken supplying the over! Napoleon III the Bassin de Neptune '' by François Girardon and Thomas Regnaudin, ca local ponds an... By Jean Cotelle, ca Neptune '' by Jean Cotelle, ca 's palace at Versailles, once XIV... Largely to the reservoirs located on the Satory Plateau trees, which necessitated more projects one final to!