Why Did Louis Xiv Build The Palace Of Versailles

Originally a hunting lodge for Louis XIII, Versailles is now a grand palace and a popular tourist attraction. Louis XIII’s son, Louis XIV, disliked his palace and wanted to live somewhere else. After searching, Louis found what he wanted, his father’s old cabin. He hired, Louis Le Vau, a famous architect, to build this humble estate of his father into a luxurious palace. Le Vau built much of the modern-day Versailles. Taking many years, Le Vau extended this building into a stone and brick palace, and added buildings that make up what is known as “The Envelope” today. During this time period, French Baroque and Italian building styles were dominant. Le Vau considered these styles when building Versailles. He included an Italian style roof, which
800 hectares, or 1976.84 acres, made up this massive garden area. Landscaper Andre Le Notre took on the task to decorate and tend to this land. “The French formal garden style, or ‘jardin a la francaise’ was used. This style is characterized by its meticulously manicured lawns, ‘parterres' of flowers, numerous fountains, and sculptures” (Boundless). Two famous fountains called “The Bassin de Latone” and “The Bassin d'Apollon” along with some other fountains and statues depict some of France’s history and mythology. Louis didn’t stop there though. He wanted a canal made! Whatever the king wants is what he gets, so a canal was made. Many (house)boats and other shoreline structures were constructed along this canal. The canal was also used to water the
All day he’d be watched, followed, and observed. “He had a trail of followers made up of a doctor, relatives, and important people everywhere he went, he was almost never alone. Every morning he’d be woken up at 7:30 AM, and would perform his morning rituals in front of all these people. He’d bathe, dress, and eat breakfast.” (Life at Versailles) Along the day he’d walk around, attend council meetings, demand what he wanted, be entertained, and he would go to religious services. At 1:00 PM he’d eat, either privately or with people. At 6:00 PM Louis would do some more political jobs, such as signing letters. At 10:00 PM he’d eat dinner, and at 11:00 he would go to bed while being watched by the same crowd from the morning. Louis loved the order to his schedule, he loved the attention he received, “...his main flaw was his ego”, Louis loved praise, either about him or his precious Versailles (Life at