1) The cost to build the palace of Versailles is believed to have been about $100 million. The gardens are not to be missed. Was really looking forward to visiting here but won't be going again. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. It was a very special day. How much money did King Louis XIV spend on the palace of Versailles? We spent about 5 hours in the gardens, including Marie Antoinette's village. We had gotten the Passport ticket which gives access to the whole place (chateau, gardens, queen's estate) and we also booked the King's Private Apartments tour on top of that. After that we entered the gates and had to queue again for another 30 minutes at least before entering inside to have another security check again with only 2 staff. The audio guide activates automatically when one enters a room, so it was no help in guiding us as to where to start from. There are more than 700 rooms, including 1,200 fireplaces and 60 staircases in the Palace of Versailles. We came in from Paris by the RER C (it took about a 30-40 minutes from Champs de Mars). So we decided to see the gardens first, which we thought were actually not as stunning as we expected, and then took the little train down to Marie Antoinette's little village and farm. Comfortable walking shoes are a must. To think of maintaining a property like this in the 1700s and engineering something of this size is really remarkable. The visit started with a 45-minute wait in the line to get through the one and only security post they setup with a metal detector. It was midday already by then. That was the best part of the visit. Initially, Versailles was planned to be an occasional residence for Louis XIV and was referred to as the "king's house". Ano ang mga kasabihan sa sa aking kababata? In sharp contrast, today’s costliest buildings don’t cost more than 6- Billion USD. The gardens are not to be missed. We took the RER to get to and from the Palace and it was a very quick (about 35 minutes) trip out there and easy to navigate. After spending a good couple of hours there, we then took the train back and joined the, by this time, much smaller queue (although still took 30 mins to get in the chateau) and it was absolutely packed. It was hot and stuffy and we were glad to finish the tour and get out to the fresh air. queen's house in the hamlet). Is the Coronavirus Crisis Increasing America's Drug Overdoses? As a result, we covered the different areas a little haphazardly. ), so reading the plaques for a description would not have been a pleasant experience. When we eventually got to the tour there were hundreds of people slowly shuffling through the rooms it was almost impossible to admire the apartments. Thanks! Palace of Versailles: How much did this thing cost to build?! Arrived about midday and the queue into the Chateau was very long. After that, it was time for the general areas. One tip: ensure that when you are on the RER or the Metro that you KEEP YOUR TICKET on you. We had a private tour by Guillaume Deprez of Art Journey Paris. I was glad I could just stand in a corner and observe the room according to the audio guide. Somewhere in the middle, we figured out that we were missing a map, and probably hadn't covered some areas. So, my advice, GET A MAP, and strategize your walk accordingly. It didn’t start that way, however, as all King Louis XIII wanted was a hunting lodge for his family when building began in 1623. It was a very special day. We came in from Paris by the RER C (it took about a 30-40 minutes from Champs de Mars). Guilllaume had so much to say about all the aspects of the garden it was like taking an art/France history course. That took us the rest of our day - we left at around 5pm. Fact Check: What Power Does the President Really Have Over State Governors? One of the most baffling aspects to the study of Versailles is the cost – how much Louis XIVand his successors spent on Versailles. Additionally, the king was known as the sunshine King, as he was thought to bring happiness and light to people which created a special relationship or representation with the Sun God Apollo, which is seen throughout the property from gates to Windows and ceiling details. It was surprisingly not "bank-breakingly" priced. We had also bought our own picnic but this was taken and stored until after the tour of the palace. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. He was very personable and extremely knowledgeable about art and history. That day, it also rained for some time in the afternoon, so check the weather forecast. Due to a lack of data, and historical currency conversion being arcane at the best of times, calculating the cost is tricky. Always try to book any tours, or visits, online and save time. How Much Did It Cost to Build Versailles. That made for a long long inefficient tiring walk all over the chateau. The Chateau is certainly beautiful and magnificent but the gardens and the tour by Guillaume made this such a special day. On our way back from the Palace, the transit police were checking tickets (I had not seen this before on our trips in Paris) and was glad we kept our ticket- one tourist was not so lucky and they told her that she had to pay a 15 euro fine- thankfully they let her off with a warning as she didn't speak any English or French (although I don't believe this is a common exception). They need to sort out some timed system or something to allievate the hoards of people entering at the same time. As it was booked at 9.30am, we started our experience with that. Accordingly, much of the early funding for construction came from the king's own purse, funded by reve… These values are in 1994 dollars. About 3 deep trying to get through the doors! That made for a long long inefficient tiring walk all over the chateau. A nice walk through meadows and along meandering paths, fairly quiet (everyone was back touring the chateau! Also, understanding that the King was obsessed with the palace, spending over 25% of the nation's GDP on the construction and design helped in understanding its magnitude and significance. If you subscribe to BBC History Magazine Print or Digital Editions then you can unlock 10 years’ worth of archived history material fully searchable by Topic, Location, Period and Person. ), and beautiful light stone cottages, and at the farm, a variety of animals to see, and more buildings to look at. It was hot and stuffy and we were glad to finish the tour and get out to the fresh air. He also needed to rely on state funds as well as his private wealth to build such a lavish place. We had gotten the Passport ticket which gives access to the whole place (chateau, gardens, queen's estate) and we also booked the King's Private Apartments tour on top of that. • ), so reading the plaques for a description would not have been a pleasant experience. The following response offers the reasons why it was and still is difficult to pin down, as well as the best 'guess' made by historical sources. Once we had some renewed energy, we started covering the grounds. As a result, we covered the different areas a little haphazardly. In 1936, it formed today's scale. You can unsubscribe at any time. The palace with more than 2,000 rooms featured elaborate gardens, fountains, a private zoo, roman-style baths and even 18th-century elevators. We used our Paris Pass to travel by train through zones 1-3, and got off Viroflay and bought a return ticket, got back on the train to Versailles. Since we had our rain jackets on, it did not impede our outdoors walk at all.The experience was not easy, but I came away with a better understanding of the history behind this beautiful palace and that of the country in the different periods during which this chateau was relevant. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Our strategy was to cover the right half of the grounds (gardens, Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, Queen's Hamlet). According to PBS, actual building costs for Versailles vary between estimates, but experts think costs ranged from 116,438,892 livres or $2 billion to $300 billion. It was his son, Louis XIV – the Sun King, famous for his bling – who made things bigger and more lavish throughout the second half of the 17th century. How much did it cost to build the palace of Versailles? But expenses continued to rocket and initial estimates ended up a fraction of the eventual price tag. Ano ang pinakamaliit na kontinente sa mundo? You have successfully linked your account! After that, it was time for the general areas. They are truly spectacular in size and scope. The official website for BBC History Magazine, BBC History Revealed and BBC World Histories Magazine. Advertisement. It was midday already by then. Thankfully, they have staff in most rooms to control the crowds, and get people moving.After covering the chateau, we had lunch in one of the cafes inside the chateau. After spending a good couple of hours there, we then took the train back and joined the, by this time, much smaller queue (although still took 30 mins to get in the chateau) and it was absolutely packed. How much did it cost to build Versailles? Thankfully, they have staff in most rooms to control the crowds, and get people moving.After covering the chateau, we had lunch in one of the cafes inside the chateau. The Palace of Versailles, France’s extravagant former royal residence and centre of government, was one of the most expensive building projects in history. Your IP: 78.47.203.245 Walking through the rooms and bedrooms, even the King's, was really something special. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. The visit started with a 45-minute wait in the line to get through the one and only security post they setup with a metal detector. Well, according to historical records, Potala Palace went through several times' renovations. What is the rising action of faith love and dr lazaro? Only to be followed by discovering the staff was on strike so only 1/4th of the palace was open to the public. An audio guide was included in our ticket, so we picked it up after our tour.This is where my husband and I got a little confused. History TV and radio in the UK: what’s on our screens in October 2020? Guillaume came and picked us up at our hotel. After accounting for inflation, estimates peg its cost of construction between 170 Billion Euros (200 Billion USD) to 250 Billion Euros (300 Billion USD). He is truly a "Francophil" and seems to enjoy the fact that if it weren't for France there would be no democracy in the USA and we wouldn't won the Revolutionary war. When we went the fountains were not running, which seems to be a common trend amongst those I have spoken to who have visited before- kind of a let down, but still beautiful without them. The Palace of Versailles required the work of approximately 3000 people to construct the building and the grounds. You may need to download version 2.0 now from the Chrome Web Store. Otherwise, covering the chateau will take longer than usual. It was a great learning experience as our guide was very knowledgeable. 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