Visit the Grand Trianon, a palace located on the Estate of Trianon. This palace, a unique architectural composition with a central collonaded gallery, was constructed as per the instruction of King Louis XIV, for his entertainment, for wining and dining in private. It was originally known as the ‘Marble Trianon’ owing to its pink marble panels on the palace’s elegant façades.
The place is surrounded by a thick enclosure of forests along with a private park to keep the palace secluded from the outside world. You can take a walk around this Baroque-style château with its sumptuous Mirror Room, which is now used as the French Republic presidential residence for providing accommodation to foreign officials. Visit Trianon Estate to take a stroll across the French gardens with their ornate geometric flower beds containing colorful blooms pleasing to the eyes.
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The Petit Trianon, another royal residence, is surrounded by four diverse gardens and is a manifesto for the neoclassical movement. Regarded as a masterpiece of royal architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel, the castle was initially built for the king to spend some private time with his mistress and to manifest his passion for the botanical sciences. The palace was later on gifted to Marie Antoinette who used it as her shelter and as a refuge from her royal responsibilities. Include a visit to this castle in your list of activities to do in Versailles and admire the beautiful building with its grand marble columns, wooden decor and rich embellishments.
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The Queen’s Hamlet of the Estate of Trianon will give you glimpses of the rural architecture as it is in a crescent formation that can be viewed across the water. It was built in 1783 on the eastern bank of the lake as per the orders of Marie-Antoinette. While visiting the hamlet, you will find it to be divided into three distinct spaces. If you walk into the first one, used for reception purposes, you will find the Queen’s house, windmill, billiard room, and others.
On the other side is the section used for agricultural purposes where you will find a tower in the hamlet overlooking the lake which is known as the ‘Marlborough Tower’. Reach the third section near a farm, where The Queen used the Hamlet to host small gatherings and take refreshing walks.
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