English

EUR

English

Español

Spanish

Contents

Palace of Versailles History

Built as a hunting lodge in 1623, the Versailles Palace evolved into the seat of the French monarchy, then a museum, until the French Revolution forced the royal family to leave in 1789. In 1979, the Palace was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Sit...

Founded On

1837

Founded By

Louis Le Vau

About

Quick Information

ADDRESS

Place d'Armes, 78000 Versailles, France

RECOMMENDED DURATION

4 hours

Timings

Closed today

VISITORS PER YEAR

15000000

TICKETS

From € 12

NUMBER OF ENTRANCES

EXPECTED WAIT TIME - STANDARD

1-2 hours (Peak), 30-60 mins (Off Peak)

EXPECTED WAIT TIME - SKIP THE LINE

0-30 mins (Peak), 0-30 mins (Off Peak)

UNESCO YEAR

1979

Plan your visit

Did you know?

The Queen's House, nestled in the gardens, was rumoured to be haunted by Marie Antoinette's ghost, with sightings of her spectral apparitions wandering the premises.

Versailles nurtured a musical heritage as acclaimed composers like Jean-Baptiste Lully and Christoph Willibald Gluck crafted timeless masterpieces, contributing to an unparalleled musical legacy.

During the winter season, the vast Grand Canal at Versailles transformed into an enchanting ice-skating rink, providing the royal court with the exhilaration of gliding across frozen waters.

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

Palace of Versailles Timed Entry Tickets with Optional Access to the Gardens

Flexible cancellation

Mobile ticket

Flexible duration

Transfers included

More details

from

€20.76

Palace of Versailles Guided Tours

Instant confirmation

Mobile ticket

1 hr. 30 min. - 1 hr. 45 min.

More details

from

€63

Combo (Save 5%): Louvre Museum + Versailles Palace Tickets

Mobile ticket

Audio guide

More details

from

€52.72

From Paris: Palace of Versailles Tickets & Tours with Transfers

Free cancellation

Instant confirmation

Mobile ticket

3 hr. 40 min. - 4 hr. 30 min.

Guided tour

Transfers included

More details

from

€85

The History Of The Palace

The Palace of Versailles is one of the most extraordinary achievements of 17th century European architecture. Initially constructed as a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII, the royal family's love for the estate saw the movement of the royal court from Paris to Versailles in 1682 by King Louis XIV, Louis XIII’s son. The hunting pavilion was transformed into a regal complex with ornate rooms, landscaped gardens and magnificent fountains.

For decades, the french royals continued to embellish the palace and rule from Versailles. It wasn’t until the French Revolution that the royal court was forced to move back to Paris. The palace also witnessed the signing of the most important of all peace treaties that brought World War I to an end.

The Palace Today

Today, the palace is one of the most admired and visited landmarks in all of France. Each year, it is estimated that approximately 5 million people visit the Palace of Versailles, and between 8 and 10 million people walks it's gardens.

Home to more than five centuries of French history, the Palace not only houses remarkable works of art within it's ornate walls, it is a work of art in itself. The château contains 2,300 rooms spread across 63,154m². From the glittering Hall of Mirrors to the stunning portraits that sweep the ceilings of the Royal Apartments, walking through the halls of the palace will take you back in time.

One of the most ornately designed rooms of all, the Hall of Mirrors features 357 mirrors, including seventeen mirror-clad arches that reflect the seventeen arcaded windows overlooking the gardens. The Versailles Palace Gardens span an impressive 250 acres, and continue to thrive as a beautifully manicured plot with 400 sculptures and 1,400 fountains.

Palace of Versailles History

Quick Information

The History Of The Palace

The Palace Today

More Reads