The Gardens of Versailles (french: Jardins du château de Versailles ) occupy part of what was once the ''Domaine royal de Versailles'', the royal

demesne A demesne ( ) or domain was all the land retained and managed by a lord of the manor under the feudal system for his own use, occupation, or support. This distinguished it from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants. The concept or ...

of the château of Versailles. Situated to the west of the

palace A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence, or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome which ...

, the gardens cover some 800 hectares of land, much of which is landscaped in the classic

French formal garden The French formal garden, also called the (), is a style of garden based on symmetry and the principle of imposing order on nature. Its epitome is generally considered to be the Gardens of Versailles designed during the 17th century by the ...

style perfected here by

André Le Nôtre André Le Nôtre (; 12 March 1613 – 15 September 1700), originally rendered as André Le Nostre, was a French landscape architect and the principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France. He was the landscape architect who designed the gar ...

. Beyond the surrounding belt of woodland, the gardens are bordered by the urban areas of

Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 1995 has been managed, u ...

to the east and

Le Chesnay Le Chesnay () is a former commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, fr ...

to the north-east, by the National Arboretum de Chèvreloup to the north, the Versailles plain (a protected wildlife preserve) to the west, and by the Satory Forest to the south. Administered by the

Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles The Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles (French: Établissement public du château, du musée et du domaine national de Versailles) is a French public establishment founded in 1995, and working under the ...

, an autonomous public entity operating under the aegis of the

French Ministry of Culture The Ministry of Culture (french: Ministère de la Culture) is the ministry of the Government of France in charge of national museums and the . Its goal is to maintain the French identity through the promotion and protection of the arts (visual, ...

, the gardens are now one of the most visited public sites in France, receiving more than six million visitors a year. In addition to the meticulous manicured lawns,

parterre A ''parterre'' is a part of a formal garden constructed on a level substrate, consisting of symmetrical patterns, made up by plant beds, low hedges or coloured gravels, which are separated and connected by paths. Typically it was the part of ...

s, and sculptures are the fountains, which are located throughout the garden. Dating from the time of

Louis XIV , house = Bourbon , father = Louis XIII , mother = Anne of Austria , birth_date = , birth_place = Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France , death_date = , death_place = Palace of Vers ...

and still using much of the same network of hydraulics as was used during the

Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...

, the fountains contribute to making the gardens of Versailles unique. On weekends from late spring to early autumn, the administration of the museum sponsors the ''Grandes Eaux'' – spectacles during which all the fountains in the gardens are in full play. Designed by André Le Nôtre, the Grand Canal is the masterpiece of the Gardens of Versailles. In the Gardens too, the

Grand Trianon The Grand Trianon () is a French Baroque style château situated in the northwestern part of the Domain of Versailles in Versailles, France. It was built at the request of King Louis XIV of France as a retreat for himself and his ''maîtresse-en ...

was built to provide Sun King with the retreat he wanted. The

Petit Trianon The Petit Trianon (; French for "small Trianon") is a Neoclassical style château located on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France. It was built between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of King Louis XV of France. T ...

is associated with

Marie-Antoinette Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne (; ; née Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. She was born an archduchess of Austria, and was the penultimate child ...

, who spent her time there with her closest relatives and friends. In 1979, the gardens along with the château were inscribed on the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

World Heritage List A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the UNESCO, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNES ...

for their cultural importance during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Planning diagram

Louis XIII

With Louis XIII's final purchase of lands from

Jean-François de Gondi Jean-François de Gondi (1584 – 21 March 1654) was the first archbishop of Paris, from 1622 to 1654. He was the son of Albert de Gondi and Claude Catherine de Clermont. He was a member of the Gondi family, which had held the bishopric of Paris ...

in 1632 and his assumption of the seigneurial role of Versailles in the 1630s,

formal garden A formal garden is a garden with a clear structure, geometric shapes and in most cases a symmetrical layout. Its origin goes back to the gardens which are located in the desert areas of Western Asia and are protected by walls. The style of a forma ...

s were laid out west of the château. Records indicate that late in the decade

Claude Mollet Claude Mollet (ca. 1564 – shortly before 1649), ''premier jardinier du Roy'' — first gardener to three French kings, Henri IV, Louis XIII and the young Louis XIV — was a member of the Mollet dynasty of French garden designers in th ...

and

Hilaire Masson Hilaire, the French form of Hilary, is a given name and surname derived from the Latin ''hilarius'' meaning ''happy'' or ''merry''. Notable people with the name include: People with the surname * Andrew Hilaire (1899–1935), American jazz drumm ...

designed the gardens, which remained relatively unchanged until the expansion ordered under Louis XIV in the 1660s. 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. This is evidenced in the clear definition of the main east–west and north–south axis that anchors the gardens' layout.

Louis XIV

In 1661, after the disgrace of the finance minister

Nicolas Fouquet Nicolas Fouquet, marquis de Belle-Île, vicomte de Melun et Vaux (27 January 1615 – 23 March 1680) was the Superintendent of Finances in France from 1653 until 1661 under King Louis XIV. He had a glittering career, and acquired enormous wealth ...

, who was accused by rivals of embezzling crown funds in order to build his luxurious château at

Vaux-le-Vicomte The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (English: Palace of Vaux-le-Vicomte) is a Baroque French château located in Maincy, near Melun, southeast of Paris in the Seine-et-Marne department of Île-de-France. Built between 1658 and 1661 for Nicolas ...

turned his attention to Versailles. With the aid of Fouquet's architect

Louis Le Vau Louis Le Vau (1612 – 11 October 1670) was a French Baroque architect, who worked for Louis XIV of France. He was an architect that helped develop the French Classical style in the 17th Century.''Encyclopedia of World Biography''"Louis Le Vau", ...

, painter

Charles Le Brun Charles Le Brun (baptised 24 February 1619 – 12 February 1690) was a French painter, physiognomist, art theorist, and a director of several art schools of his time. As court painter to Louis XIV, who declared him "the greatest French artist of ...

, and landscape architect

, Louis began an embellishment and expansion program at Versailles that would occupy his time and worries for the remainder of his reign. From this point forward, the expansion of the gardens of Versailles followed the expansions of the château. Accordingly, Louis XIV's building campaigns apply to the gardens as well. At every stage the prescribed tour was carefully managed, under the Sun King's directions. Versailles garden plan - Marie 1968 vol1 Pl7

Versailles garden plan - Marie 1968 vol1 Pl7

First building campaign

In 1662, minor modifications to the château were undertaken; however, greater attention was given to developing the gardens. Existing

bosquet In the French formal garden, a ''bosquet'' (French, from Italian ''bosco'', "grove, wood") is a formal plantation of trees in a wide variety of forms, some open at the bottom and others not. At a minimum a bosquet can be five trees of identical s ...

s and

s were expanded and new ones created. Most significant among the creations at this time were the

Versailles Orangerie The Versailles Orangerie (french: L'orangerie du château de Versailles) was built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart between 1684 and 1686, before work on the Château de Versailles had even begun. The Orangerie, which replaced Louis Le Vau's earlier des ...

and the "Grotte de Thétys". (Nolhac 1901, 1925) The Orangery, which was designed by

, was located south of the château, a situation that took advantage of the natural slope of the hill. It provided a protected area in which orange trees were kept during the winter months. (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. The grotto would be completed during the second building campaign. (Verlet 1985) By 1664, the gardens had evolved to the point that Louis XIV inaugurated the gardens with the ''

fête galante ''Fête galante'' () (courtship party) is a category of painting specially created by the French Academy in 1717 to describe Antoine Watteau's (1684–1721) variations on the theme of the fête champêtre, which featured figures in ball dress o ...

'' called '' Les Plaisirs de l’Île enchantée''. The event, which officially was to celebrate his mother, Anne d'Autriche, and his consort Marie-Thérèse but in reality celebrated

Louise de La Vallière Françoise ''Louise'' de La Vallière, Duchess of La Vallière and Vaujours, born Françoise Louise de La Baume Le Blanc de La Vallière, Mademoiselle de La Vallière (6 August 1644 – 7 June 1710) was a French noblewoman and the first mistress ...

, Louis' mistress, was held in May of that year. Guests were regaled with fabulous entertainments in the gardens over a period of one week. As a result of this ''fête'' – particularly the lack of housing for guests (most of them had to sleep in their carriages), Louis realized the shortcomings of Versailles and began to expand the château and the gardens once again. (Verlet, 1961, 1985)

Second building campaign

Between 1664 and 1668, a flurry of activity was evidenced in the gardens – especially with regard to fountains and new bosquets; it was during this time that the imagery of the gardens consciously exploited

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

and solar imagery as metaphors for Louis XIV. Le Vau's ''enveloppe'' of the Louis XIII's château provided a means by which, though the decoration of the garden façade, imagery in the decors of the ''grands appartements'' of the king and queen formed a symbiosis with the imagery of the gardens. (Lighthart, 1997; Mâle, 1927) With this new phase of construction, the gardens assumed the topographical and iconological design vocabulary that would remain in force until the 18th century. As

André Félibien André Félibien (May 161911 June 1695), ''sieur des Avaux et de Javercy'', was a French chronicler of the arts and official court historian to Louis XIV of France. Biography Félibien was born at Chartres. At the age of fourteen he went to Pa ...

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." (Félibien, 1674). Three additions formed the topological and symbolic nexus of the gardens during this phase of construction: the completion of the "Grotte de Thétys", the " Bassin de Latone", and the " Bassin d'Apollon".

Grotte de Thétys

Started in 1664 and finished in 1670 with the installation of the statuary by the Gilles Guérin,

François Girardon François Girardon (10 March 1628 – 1 September 1715) was a French sculptor of the Louis XIV style or French Baroque, best known for his statues and busts of Louis XIV and for his statuary in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. Biograph ...

Thomas Regnaudin Thomas Regnaudin (baptised 18 February 1622 – 3 July 1706) was a French sculptor, affiliated with Northern Baroque. Some of Regnaudin's works were placed in the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre. A son of a stonemason Stonemasonry or stonecraft i ...

, Gaspard Marsy, and Balthazar Marsy, the grotto formed an important symbolic and technical component to the gardens. Symbolically, the "Grotte de Thétys" related to the myth of Apollo – and by that association to Louis XIV. It was as the cave of the sea nymph

Thetis Thetis (; grc-gre, Θέτις ), is a figure from Greek mythology with varying mythological roles. She mainly appears as a sea nymph, a goddess of water, or one of the 50 Nereids, daughters of the ancient sea god Nereus. When described as ...

, where Apollo rested after driving his chariot to light the sky. The grotto was a freestanding structure located just north of the château. The interior, which was decorated with shell-work to represent a sea cave, contained the statue group by the Marsy brothers depicting the sun god attended by

nereids In Greek mythology, the Nereids or Nereides ( ; grc, Νηρηΐδες, Nērēḯdes; , also Νημερτές) are sea nymphs (female spirits of sea waters), the 50 daughters of the 'Old Man of the Sea' Nereus and the Oceanid Doris, sisters ...

(central grouping) and his horses being groomed by attendants of Thetis (the two accompanying statue groups). Originally, these statues were set in three individual niches in the grotto and were surrounded by various fountains and water features. (Marie 1968; Nolhac 1901, 1925; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985) Technically, the "'Grotte de Thétys" played a critical role in the hydraulic system that supplied water to the garden. The roof of the grotto supported a reservoir that stored water pumped from the Clagny pond and which fed the fountains lower in the garden via gravity. File:Grotte de Thétys-façade II.jpg, Exterior of the ''Grotte de Thétys''
by

Jean Le Pautre Jean Le Pautre or Lepautre (baptised 28 June 1618; died 2 February 1682) was a French designer and engraver, the elder brother of the architect Antoine Le Pautre, the father of the engravers Pierre Le Pautre and Jacques Le Pautre, and the unc ...

, 1672 File:Grotte de Téthys-intérieur.jpg, Interior of the ''Grotte de Thétys''
by Jean Le Pautre, 1676 File:Grotte de Thétys-chevaux à gauche.jpg, ''Apollo's horses groomed by two Tritons'' by Gilles Guérin, ca. 1670 File:Grotte de Thétys-groupe centrale.jpg, ''Apollo attended by nymphs''
by

and

, ca. 1670 File:Grotte de Thétys-chevaux à droit.jpg, ''Apollo's horses groomed by two Tritons'' by

Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy The brothers Gaspard (born 1624 or 1625, died 10 December 1681) and Balthazar Marsy (baptised 6 January 1628, died May 1674) were French sculptors. Originally from Cambrai, they moved to Paris and were employed by King Louis XIV, particularly fo ...

, ca. 1670

Bassin de Latone

Located on the east–west axis just west and below the ''Parterre d'Eau'', is the ''Bassin de Latone''. Designed by André Le Nôtre, sculpted by Gaspard and Balthazar Marsy, and constructed between 1668 and 1670, the fountain depicted an episode from Ovid's ''

Metamorphoses The ''Metamorphoses'' ( la, Metamorphōsēs, from grc, μεταμορφώσεις: "Transformations") is a Latin narrative poem from 8 CE by the Roman poet Ovid. It is considered his ''magnum opus''. The poem chronicles the history of the wo ...

''.

Latona In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Leto (; grc-gre, Λητώ , ''Lētṓ'', or , ''Lātṓ'' in Doric Greek) is a goddess and the mother of Apollo, the god of music, and Artemis, the goddess of the hunt.Hesiod, ''Theogony'404–409/ref ...

and her children,

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 Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but ...

who responded by turning the Lycians into frogs. This episode from mythology has been seen by historians in reference as an allegory to the revolts of the

Fronde The Fronde () was a series of civil wars in France between 1648 and 1653, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. King Louis XIV confronted the combined opposition of the princes, the nobility, the law cour ...

, which occurred during the minority of Louis XIV. The link between Ovid's story and this episode from French history is emphasized by the reference to "mud slinging" in a political context. 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. (Berger, 1992; Marie, 1968, 1972, 1976; Nolhac, 1901; Thompson, 2006; Verlet, 1961, 1985; Weber, 1981)

Bassin d'Apollon

Further along the east–west axis is the '' Bassin d'Apollon'' – the Apollo Fountain. Occupying the site of ''Rondeau/Bassin des Cygnes'' of Louis XIII, the Apollo Fountain, which was constructed between 1668 and 1671, depicts the sun god driving his chariot to light the sky. 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''. (Marie 1968; Nolhac 1901, 1925; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)

Grand Canal

With a length of 1,500 metres and a width of 62 metres, the ''Grand Canal'', which was built between 1668 and 1671, physically and visually prolongs the east–west axis to the walls of the ''Grand Parc''. During the

, the ''Grand Canal'' served as a venue for boating parties. 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). Located at the junction of the ''Grand Canal'' and the junction of the northern transversal branch, Little Venice housed the caravels and yachts that were received from The Netherlands and the gondolas and gondoliers received as gifts from the

Doge of Venice The Doge of Venice ( ; vec, Doxe de Venexia ; it, Doge di Venezia ; all derived from Latin ', "military leader"), sometimes translated as Duke (compare the Italian '), was the chief magistrate and leader of the Republic of Venice between 726 a ...

, hence the name. (Marie 1968; Nolhac 1901, 1925; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985) Above and beyond the decorative and festive aspects of this garden feature, the ''Grand Canal'' also served a practical role. Situated at a low point in the gardens, it collected water it drained from the fountains in the garden above. Water from the ''Grand Canal'' was pumped back to the reservoir on the roof of the ''Grotte de Thétys'' via a network of windmill-powered and horse-powered pumps. (Thompson 2006)

Parterre d'Eau

Situated above the Latona Fountain is the terrace of the château, known as the ''Parterre d'Eau''. Forming a transitional element from the château to the gardens below and placed on the north–south axis of the gardens, the ''Parterre d'Eau'' provided a setting in which the imagery and symbolism of the decors of the ''grands appartements'' synthesized with the iconography of the gardens. In 1664,

commissioned a series of statues intended to decorate the water feature of the ''Parterre d'Eau''. The '' Grande Commande'', as the commission is known, comprised twenty-four statues of the classic quaternities and four additional statues depicting abductions from the classic past. (Berger I, 1985; Friedman, 1988,1993; Hedin, 1981–1982; Marie, 1968; Nolhac, 1901; Thompson, 2006; Verlet, 1961, 1985; Weber, 1981)

Evolution of the Bosquets

One of the distinguishing features of the gardens during the second building campaign was the proliferation of bosquets. Expanding the layout established during the first building campaign, Le Nôtre added or expanded on no fewer that ten bosquets: The ''Bosquet du Marais'' in 1670; the ''Bosquet du Théâtre d'Eau'', ''Île du Roi'' and ''Miroir d'Eau'', the ''Salle des Festins'' (''Salle du Conseil''), the ''Bosquet des Trois Fontaines'' in 1671; the ''Labyrinthe'' and the ''Bosquet de l'Arc de Triomphe'' in 1672; the ''Bosquet de la Renommée'' (''Bosquet des Dômes'') and the ''Bosquet de l'Encélade'' in 1675; and the ''Bosquet des Sources'' in 1678 (Marie 1972, 1976; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). In addition to the expansion of existing bosquets and the construction of new ones, there were two additional projects that defined this era, the ''Bassin des Sapins'' and the ''Pièce d'eau des Suisses''.

Bassin des Sapins

In 1676, the ''Bassin des Sapins'', which was located north of the château below the ''Parterre du Nord'' and the ''Allée des Marmousets'' 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. Later modifications in the garden would transform this fountain into the ''Bassin de Neptune''. (Marie 1972, 1975; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)

Pièce d'eau des Suisses

Excavated in 1678, the ''Pièce d'eau des Suisses'' – 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. This water feature, with a surface area of more than 15 hectares, is the second largest – after the ''Grand Canal'' – at Versailles. (Marie 1972, 1975; Nolhac 1901, 1925; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)

Third building campaign

Modifications in the gardens during the third building campaign were distinguished by a stylistic change from the natural esthetic of André Le Nôtre to the architectonic style of

Jules Hardouin Mansart Jules Hardouin-Mansart (; 16 April 1646 – 11 May 1708) was a French Baroque architect and builder whose major work included the Place des Victoires (1684–1690); Place Vendôme (1690); the domed chapel of Les Invalides (1690), and the Grand ...

. The first major modification to the gardens during this phase occurred in 1680 when the ''Tapis Vert'' – the expanse of lawn that stretches between the Latona Fountain and the Apollo Fountain – achieved its final size and definition under the direction of André Le Nôtre. (Nolhac 1901; Thompson 2006) Beginning in 1684, the ''Parterre d'Eau'' was remodeled under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart. 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. In the same year, Le Vau's ''Orangerie'', located to south of the ''Parterrre d'Eau'' was demolished to accommodate a larger structure designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. In addition to the ''Orangerie'', the ''Escaliers des Cent Marches'', which facilitated access to the gardens from the south, to the ''Pièce d'Eau des Suisses'', and to the ''Parterre du Midi'' were constructed at this time, giving the gardens just south of the château their present configuration and decoration. Orangerie du château de Versailles le 11 septembre 2015 - 78

Orangerie du château de Versailles le 11 septembre 2015 - 78

Additionally, to accommodate the anticipated construction of the ''Aile des Nobles'' – the north wing of the château – the ''Grotte de Thétys'' was demolished. (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976; Nolhac 1899, 1901, 1902, 1925) With the construction of the ''Aile des Nobles'' (1685–1686), the ''Parterre du Nord'' was remodeled to respond to the new architecture of this part of the château. To compensate for the loss of the reservoir on top of the ''Grotte de Thétys'' and to meet the increased demand for water, Jules Hardouin-Mansart designed new and larger reservoirs situated due north of the ''Aile des Nobles'' (Thompson 2006). Construction for the ruinously expensive

Canal de l'Eure The Canal de l'Eure, made necessary by the insufficient water supply for the Château de Versailles and the water features of its gardens, was designed for Louis XIV of France by his military engineer Vauban, based on preliminary surveys by Phil ...

was inaugurated in 1685; designed by Vauban it was intended to bring waters of the

Eure Eure () is a department in Normandy in Northwestern France, named after the river Eure. Its prefecture is Évreux. In 2019, Eure had a population of 599,507.''Académie de France'' in Rome were displayed. The following year, construction began on the ''Salle de Bal''. Located in a secluded section of the garden west of the ''Orangerie'', this bosquet was designed as an amphitheater that featured a cascade – the only one surviving in the gardens of Versailles. The ''Salle de Bal'' was inaugurated in 1685 with a ball hosted by the

Grand Dauphin Louis, Dauphin of France (1 November 1661 – 14 April 1711), commonly known as Grand Dauphin, was the eldest son and heir apparent of King Louis XIV and his spouse, Maria Theresa of Spain. He became known as the Grand Dauphin after the birth of ...

. Between 1684 and 1685, Jules Hardouin-Mansart built the ''Colonnade''. Located on the site of Le Nôtre's ''Bosquet des Sources'', this bosquet featured a circular peristyle formed from thirty-two arches with twenty-eight fountains and was Hardouin-Mansart's most architectural of the bosquets built in the gardens of Versailles (Marie 1972, 1976; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)

Fourth building campaign

Due to financial constraints arising from the

War of the League of Augsburg The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between Kingdom of France, France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by t ...

and the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...

, no significant work on the gardens was undertaken until 1704. Between 1704 and 1709, bosquets were modified, some quite radically, with new names suggesting the new austerity that characterized the latter years of Louis XIV's reign. (Marie 1976; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)

Louis XV

Parc du Château de Versailles - Le Pavillon Français

With the departure of the king and court from Versailles in 1715 following the death of Louis XIV, the palace and gardens entered an era of uncertainty. In 1722,

Louis XV Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (french: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reache ...

and the court returned to Versailles. 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. During the reign of Louis XV, the only significant addition to the gardens was the completion of the ''Bassin de Neptune'' (1738–1741). (Marie 1984; Verlet 1985) Rather than expend resources on modifying the gardens at Versailles, Louis XV – an avid botanist – directed his efforts at Trianon. In the area now occupied by the ''

Hameau de la Reine The Hameau de la Reine (, ''The Queen's Hamlet'') is a rustic retreat in the park of the Château de Versailles built for Marie Antoinette in 1783 near the Petit Trianon in Yvelines, France. It served as a private meeting place for the Queen and ...

'', Louis XV constructed and maintained ''les jardins botaniques'' – the

botanical gardens A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

. 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 1761, Louis XV commissioned

Ange-Jacques Gabriel Ange-Jacques Gabriel (23 October 1698 – 4 January 1782) was the principal architect of King Louis XV of France. His major works included the Place de la Concorde, the École Militaire, and the Petit Trianon and opera theater at the Palace of Ve ...

to build the

as a residence that would allow him to spend more time near the ''jardins botaniques''. It was at the Petit Trianon that Louis XV fell fatally ill with smallpox; on 10 May 1774, the king died at Versailles. (Marie, 1984; Thompson, 2006)

Plan of the gardens in 1746

Louis XVI

Upon

Louis XVI Louis XVI (''Louis-Auguste''; ; 23 August 175421 January 1793) was the last King of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. He was referred to as ''Citizen Louis Capet'' during the four months just before he was ...

's ascension to the throne, the gardens of Versailles underwent a transformation that recalled the fourth building campaign of Louis XIV. Engendered by a change in outlook as advocated by

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau (, ; 28 June 1712 – 2 July 1778) was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer. His political philosophy influenced the progress of the Age of Enlightenment throughout Europe, as well as aspects of the French Revolu ...

and the

Philosophes The ''philosophes'' () were the intellectuals of the 18th-century Enlightenment.Kishlansky, Mark, ''et al.'' ''A Brief History of Western Civilization: The Unfinished Legacy, volume II: Since 1555.'' (5th ed. 2007). Few were primarily philosophe ...

, the winter of 1774–1775 witnessed a complete replanting of the gardens. Trees and shrubbery dating from the reign of Louis XIV were felled or uprooted with the intent of transforming the

of Le Nôtre and Hardouin-Mansart into a version of an

English landscape garden The English landscape garden, also called English landscape park or simply the English garden (french: Jardin à l'anglaise, it, Giardino all'inglese, german: Englischer Landschaftsgarten, pt, Jardim inglês, es, Jardín inglés), is a sty ...

. The attempt to convert Le Nôtre's masterpiece into an English-style garden failed to achieve its desired goal. Owing largely to the topology of the land, the English esthetic was abandoned and the gardens replanted in the French style. 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. Additionally, a number of the bosquets dating from the time of the Sun King were extensively modified or destroyed. The most significant contribution to the gardens during the reign of Louis XVI was the ''Grotte des Bains d'Apollon''. The rockwork grotto set in an English style bosquet was the masterpiece of

Hubert Robert Hubert Robert (22 May 1733 – 15 April 1808) was a French painter in the school of Romanticism, noted especially for his landscape paintings and capricci, or semi-fictitious picturesque depictions of ruins in Italy and of France.Jean de Cayeux. ...

in which the statues from the ''Grotte de Thétys'' were placed. (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)

Revolution

In 1792, under order from the

National Convention The National Convention (french: link=no, Convention nationale) was the parliament of the Kingdom of France for one day and the French First Republic for the rest of its existence during the French Revolution, following the two-year National ...

, some of the trees in gardens were felled, while parts of the ''Grand Parc'' were parceled and dispersed. Sensing the potential threat to Versailles, Louis Claude Marie Richard (1754–1821) – director of the ''jardins botaniques'' and grandson of Claude Richard – lobbied the government to save Versailles. He succeeded in preventing further dispersing of the ''Grand Parc'' and threats to destroy the ''Petit Parc'' were abolished by suggesting that the ''parterres'' could be used to plant vegetable gardens and that orchards could occupy the open areas of the garden. 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. (Thompson 2006)

Napoléon I

The

Napoleonic Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...

era largely ignored Versailles. 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''. Massive soil erosion necessitated planting of new trees. (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)

Restoration

With the

restoration Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to: * Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage ** Audio restoration ** Film restoration ** Image restoration ** Textile restoration * Restoration ecology ...

of the

Bourbons The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spani ...

in 1814, the gardens of Versailles witnessed the first modifications since the Revolution. In 1817,

Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. He spent twenty-three years in ...

ordered the conversion of the ''Île du Roi'' and the ''Miroir d'Eau'' into an English-style garden – the ''Jardin du Roi''. (Thompson 2006)

The July Monarchy; The Second Empire

While much of the château'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 Louis Philippe (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848, and the penultimate List of French monarchs#House of Orléans, July Monarchy (1830–1848), monarch of France. As Louis Philippe, Duke of Chartres, h ...

on 10 June 1837), the gardens, by contrast, remained untouched. With the exception of the state visit of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

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 Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A nephew ...

ignored the château, preferring instead the château of Compiègne (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Pierre de Nolhac

With the arrival of

Pierre de Nolhac Pierre Girault de Nolhac (15 December 1859, Ambert – 31 January 1936, Paris), known as Pierre de Nolhac, was a French historian, art historian and poet. Biography After studying at Le Puy-en-Velay, in Rodez and Clermont-Ferrand, Pierre d ...

as director of the museum in 1892, a new era of historical research began at Versailles. 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. (Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985)

Bosquets of the gardens

Owing to the many modifications made to the gardens between the 17th and the 19th centuries, many of the bosquets have undergone multiple modifications, which were often accompanied by name changes.

Deux Bosquets - Bosquet de la Girondole - Bosquet du Dauphin - Quinconce du Nord - Quinconce du Midi

These two bosquets were first laid out in 1663. Located north and south of the east–west axis, these two bosquets were arranged as a series of paths around four ''salles de verdure'' and which converged on a central "room" that contained a fountain. 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 northern bosquet was rebuilt in 1696 as the ''Bosquet du Dauphin'' with a fountain that featured a dolphin. During the replantation of 1774–1775, both the bosquets were destroyed. The areas were replanted with lime trees and were rechristened the ''Quinconce du Nord'' and the ''Quinconce du Midi'' (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985). Plan du Labyrinthe de Versailles

Labyrinthe - Bosquet de la Reine

In 1665, André Le Nôtre planned a

hedge maze A hedge maze is an outdoor garden maze or labyrinth in which the "walls" or dividers between passages are made of vertical hedges. History Hedge mazes evolved from the knot gardens of Renaissance Europe, and were first constructed during the mi ...

of unadorned paths in an area south of the Latona Fountain near the ''Orangerie''. (Loach, 1985) In 1669,

Charles Perrault Charles Perrault ( , also , ; 12 January 1628 – 16 May 1703) was an iconic French author and member of the Académie Française. He laid the foundations for a new literary genre, the fairy tale, with his works derived from earlier folk tales ...

– author of the '' Mother Goose Tales'' – advised Louis XIV to remodel the ''Labyrinthe'' in such a way as to serve the Dauphin's education (Perrault, 1669). Between 1672 and 1677, Le Nôtre redesigned the ''Labyrinthe'' to feature thirty-nine fountains that depicted stories from

Aesop's Fables Aesop's Fables, or the Aesopica, is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE. Of diverse origins, the stories associated with his name have descended to ...

. The sculptors

Jean-Baptiste Tuby Jean-Baptiste Tuby (also known as ''Le Romain'' - born in Rome in 1635, died in Paris 9 August 1700) was a French sculptor of Italian origins, best known for the sculpture in the fountains of the Gardens of Versailles. His work expresses the exub ...

, Étienne Le Hongre, Pierre Le Gros, and the brothers

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 Isaac de Benserade (; baptized 5 November 161310 October 1691) was a French poet. Born in Lyons-la-Forêt, Normandy, his family appears to have been connected with Richelieu, who bestowed on him a pension of 600 ''livres''. He began his liter ...

; from these plaques, Louis XIV's son learned to read. Once completed in 1677, the ''Labyrinthe'' contained thirty-nine fountains with 333 painted metal animal sculptures. The water for the elaborate waterworks was conveyed from

the Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributaries ...

by the

Machine de Marly The Machine de Marly, also known as the Marly Machine or the Machine of Marly, was a large hydraulic system in Yvelines, France, built in 1684 to pump water from the river Seine and deliver it to the Palace of Versailles.Thompson 2006, p. 251 ...

. The ''Labyrinthe'' contained fourteen water-wheels driving 253 pumps, some of which worked at a distance of three-quarters of a mile. Citing repair and maintenance costs, Louis XVI ordered the ''Labyrinthe'' demolished in 1778. In its place, an arboretum of exotic trees was planted as an English-styled garden. Rechristened ''Bosquet de la Reine'', it would be in this part of the garden that an episode of the

Affair of the Diamond Necklace The Affair of the Diamond Necklace (, "Affair of the Queen's Necklace") was an incident from 1784 to 1785 at the court of King Louis XVI of France that involved his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette. The Queen's reputation, already tarnished by gossi ...

, which compromised

, transpired in 1785 (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Perrault 1669; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Bosquet de la Montagne d'Eau - Bosquet de l'Étoile

Originally designed by André Le Nôtre in 1661 as a ''salle de verdure'', this bosquet contained a path encircling a central pentagonal area. 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 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).

Bosquet du Marais - Bosquet du Chêne Vert – Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon – Grotte des Bains d'Apollon

Created in 1670, this bosquet originally contained a central rectangular pool surrounded by a turf border. Edging the pool were metal reeds that concealed numerous jets for water; a swan that had water jetting from its beak occupied each corner. The center of the pool featured an iron tree with painted tin leaves that sprouted water from its branches. Because of this tree, the bosquet was also known as the ''Bosquet du Chêne Vert''. 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''. During the reign of Louis XVI, Hubert Robert remodeled the bosquet, creating a cave-like setting for the Marsy statues. The bosquet was renamed the ''Grotte des Bains d'Apollon'' (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Île du Roi - Miroir d'Eau - Jardin du Roi

Originally designed in 1671 as two separate water features, the larger – ''Île du Roi'' – contained an island that formed the focal point of a system of elaborate fountains. The ''Île du Roi'' was separated from the ''Miroir d'Eau'' by a causeway that featured twenty-four water jets. In 1684, the island was removed and the total number of water jets in the bosquet was significantly reduced. 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. 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. At this time, the bosquet was rechristened ''Jardin du Roi'' (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Salle des Festins - Salle du Conseil - Bosquet de l'Obélisque

In 1671, André Le Nôtre conceived a bosquet – originally christened ''Salle des Festins'' and later called ''Salle du Conseil'' – that featured a quatrefoil island surrounded by a channel that contained fifty water jets. Each lobe of the island contained simple fountain; access to the island was obtained by two swing bridges. Beyond the channel and placed at the cardinal points within the bosquet were four additional fountains. Under the direction of

Jules Hardouin-Mansart Jules Hardouin-Mansart (; 16 April 1646 – 11 May 1708) was a French Baroque architect and builder whose major work included the Place des Victoires (1684–1690); Place Vendôme (1690); the domed chapel of Les Invalides (1690), and the Grand T ...

, the bosquet was completely remodeled in 1706. The central island was replaced by a large basin raised on five steps, which was surrounded by a canal. The central fountain contained 230 jets that, when in play, formed an obelisk – hence the new name ''Bosquet de l'Obélisque'' (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Bosquet du Théâtre d'Eau - Bosquet du Rond-Vert

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. Between 1680 and Louis XIV's death in 1715, there was near-constant rearranging of the statues that decorated the bosquet. In 1709, the bosquet was rearranged with the addition of the ''Fontaine de l'Île aux Enfants''. 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). ''Bosquet du Théâtre d'Eau'' is being recreated in 2014, with South Korean businessman and photographer

Yoo Byung-eun Yoo Byung-eun (Korean: 유병언; Hanja: 兪炳彥) was a South Korean businessman and inventor, who as a photographer was known under the art name Ahae. Yoo became the focus of Park Geun-hye’s administration shortly after the Sinking of MV Sew ...

being the sole

patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

, donating million (~ million) to the project.

Bosquet des Trois Fontaines (Berceau d'Eau)

Situated to the west of the ''Allée des Marmousets'' and replacing the short-lived ''Berceau d'Eau'' (a long and narrow bosquet created in 1671 that featured a water bower made by numerous jets of water), the enlarged bosquet was transformed by Le Nôtre in 1677 into a series of three linked rooms. Each room contained a number of fountains that played with special effects. The fountains survived the modifications that Louis XIV ordered for other fountains in the gardens in the early 18th century and were subsequently spared during the 1774–1775 replantation of the gardens. In 1830, the bosquet was replanted at which time the fountains were suppressed. Due to

storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmos ...

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).

Bosquet de l'Arc de Triomphe

Originally, this bosquet was planned in 1672 as a simple ''pavillon d'eau'' – a round open expanse with a square fountain in the center. In 1676, this bosquet, located to the east of the ''Allée des Marmousets'' and forming the pendant to the ''Bosquet des Trois Fontaines'', was enlarged and redecorated along political lines that alluded to French military victories over Spain and

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, at which time the triumphal arch was added – hence the name. As with the ''Bosquet des Trois Fontaines'', this bosquet survived the modifications of the 18th century, but was replanted in 1830 at which time the fountains were removed. As of 2008, this bosquet is in the process of being restored (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Bosquet de la Renommée—Bosquet des Dômes

Built in 1675, the ''Bosquet de la Renommée'' featured a fountain statue of Fame – hence the name of the bosquet. 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. At this time the bosquet was rechristened ''Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon''. As part of the reorganization of the garden that was ordered by Louis XIV in the early part of the 18th century, the Apollo grouping was moved once again to the site of the ''Bosquet du Marais'' – located near the Latona Fountain – which was destroyed and was replaced by the new ''Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon''. The statues were installed on marble plinths from which water issued; and each statue grouping was protected by an intricately carved and gilded baldachin. 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).

Bosquet de l'Encélade

Created in 1675 at the same time as the ''Bosquet de la Renommée'', the fountain of this bosquet depicts ''Enceladus'', a fallen

Giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...

who was condemned to live below Mt. Etna, being consumed by volcanic lava. From its conception, this fountain was conceived as an allegory of Louis XIV's victory over the ''Fronde''. In 1678, an octagonal ring of turf and eight ''rocaille'' fountains surrounding the central fountain were added. These additions were removed in 1708. 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).

Bosquet des Sources - La Colonnade

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. In 1684, Jules Hardouin-Mansart completely redesigned the bosquet by constructing a circular arched double peristyle. The ''Colonnade'', as it was renamed, originally featured thirty-two arches and thirty-one fountains – a single jet of water splashed into a basin center under the arch. In 1704, three additional entrances to the ''Colonnade'' were added, which reduced the number of fountains from thirty-one to twenty-eight. The statue that currently occupies the center of the Colonnade – the Abduction of Persephone – (from the '' Grande Commande'' of 1664) was set in place in 1696 (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Galerie d'Eau - Galerie des Antiques - Salle des Marronniers

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. Surrounding a central area paved with colored stone, a channel was decorated with twenty statues on plinths each separated by three jets of water. The galerie was completely remodeled in 1704 when the statues were transferred to Marly and the bosquet was replanted with horse chestnut trees (''Aesculus hippocastanum'') – hence the current name ''Salle des Marronniers'' (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Salle de Bal

Located west of the ''Parterre du Midi'' and south of the Latona Fountain, this bosquet, which was designed by Le Nôtre and built between 1681 and 1683, features a semi-circular cascade that forms the backdrop for this ''salle de verdure''. Interspersed with gilt lead '' torchères'', which supported candelabra for illumination, the ''Salle de Bal'' was inaugurated in 1683 by Louis XIV's son, the Grand Dauphin, with a dance party. The ''Salle de Bal'' was remodeled in 1707 when the central island was removed and an additional entrance was added (Marie 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984; Thompson 2006; Verlet 1985).

Views of the Bosquets

Entrée du Labyrinthe.jpg, "Entrée du Labyrinthe" by

Jean Cotelle Jean Cotelle, 'the younger' (1642–1708) was a painter and engraver, born in Paris. He received his early instruction from his father, Jean Cotelle, and eventually visited Italy. On his return he devoted himself to his profession, producing his ...

, ca. 1693 Vue de l'intérieur du bosquet du Labyrinthe.jpg, "Vue de l'intérieur du bosquet du Labyrinthe" by

, ca. 1693 Bosquet de l'Etoile.jpg, "Bosquet de l'Étoile ou la Montagne d'eau" by

, ca. 1693 Bosquet du Marais.jpg, "Bosquet du Marais" by

, ca. 1693 Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon.jpg, "Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon" by Pierre-Denis Martin (Martin le Jeune), ca. 1713 Bosquet de l'île Royale et le Bassin du Miroir.jpg, "Bosquet de l'Île Royale et le Bassin du Miroir" by

Étienne Allegrain Étienne Allegrain (1644 – 2 April 1736) was a French topographical painter. Inspired by Nicolas Poussin, he evoked still ambiences and atmospherics bathed in a deep play of light and shade. His grand-son Christophe-Gabriel Allegrain be ...

, ca. 1693 Salle des Festins.jpg, "Salle des Festins ou Salle du Conseil" by

, ca. 1688 Le théâtre d'eau-vue de la scène.jpg, "Le théâtre d'eau-vue de a scène" by

, ca. 1693 Bosquet des trois Fontaines-vue du côté.jpg, "Bosquet des trois fontaines-vue du côté" by

, ca. 1693 Bosquet de l'Arc de Triomphe-Salle basse.jpg, "Bosquet de l'Arc de Triomphe-vue depuis la Salle basse" by

, ca. 1693 Bosquet des Dômes.jpg, "Bosquet des Dômes" by

, ca. 1693 Parterre d'eau.jpg, "Parterre d'Eau" by

, ca. 1693 Bassin de l'Encelade.jpg, "Bassin de l'Encélade"

, ca. 1693 La Colonnade.jpg, "La Colonnade" by

, ca. 1693 Galerie des antiques.jpg, "Galerie des Antiques" by

Jean Joubert Jean Joubert (27 February 1928 – 28 November 2015) was a French novelist, short story writer, and poet. He won the 1978 Prix Mallarmé for ''Poems: 1955–1975''. He won the 1975 Prix Renaudot for ''L'Homme de sable''. Life Joubert was born in ...

, ca. 1693 Salle de Bal.jpg, "La Salle de bal" by

, ca. 1693 Bassin de Neptune.jpg, "Bassin de Neptune" by

, ca. 1693 Orangerie et de la Pièce d'Eau des Suisses.jpg, "Vue de l'Orangerie" by

, ca. 1693 Bassin du Dragon.jpg, "Bassin du Dragon" by

, ca. 1693 Bosquet des trois Fontaines-vue de face.jpg, "Bosquet des trois fontaines-vue de face" by

, ca. 1693 Le théâtre d'eau-vue de l'amphithéâtre.jpg, "Le théâtre d'eau-vue de l'amphithéâtre" by

, ca. 1693 Vue de l'Orangerie et du château à partir de la pièce d'eau des Suisses.jpg, "L'Orangerie" by

, ca. 1693 Parterre du Nord.jpg, "Parterre du Nord" by

, ca. 1693 Versailles-BosquetSalleBal.jpg, Bosquet of the Salle de Bal, contemporary view. colonnade1.jpg, La Colonnade with the "Abduction of Persephone" by

Bosquet des bains d appolon du chateau de versailles.jpg, Grotte des Bains d'Apollon, contemporary view. BassinApollon1.jpg, Bassin d'Apollon - Apollo Fountain, contemporary view Raimundo Madrazo - Versailles, le jardin du Roi.jpg, "Versailles, le jardin du Roi" by Raimundo de Madrazo y Garreta, 1914–1920, oil on canvas, 17 x 30 cm,

Musée Lambinet The Musée Lambinet is a municipal museum in Versailles telling the history of the town. Since 1932, it has been housed in the hôtel Lambinet, a hôtel particulier designed by Élie Blanchard, built in the second half of the 18th century by a part ...

Replantations of the garden

1920s Leconte Map of Paris w-Monuments and Map of Versailles - Geographicus - ParisVersailles-leconte-1920s - 2

Common to any long-lived garden is replantation, and Versailles is no exception. In their history, the gardens of Versailles have undergone no less than five major replantations, which have been executed for practical and aesthetic reasons. 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. Also, as the formality of the 17th-century garden had fallen out of fashion, this replantation sought to establish a new informality in the gardens – that would also be less expensive to maintain – of Versailles. This, however, was not achieved as the topology of the gardens favored the ''jardin à la française'' over an English-style garden. Then, in 1860, much of the old growth from Louis XVI's replanting was removed and replaced. In 1870, a violent storm struck the area damaging and uprooting scores of trees, which necessitated a massive replantation program. However, owing to the Franco-Prussian War, which toppled

, and the ''

Commune de Paris The Paris Commune (french: Commune de Paris, ) was a revolutionary government that seized power in Paris, the capital of France, from 18 March to 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard had defended ...

'', replantation of the garden did not get underway until 1883 (Thompson, 2006). The most recent replantations of the gardens were precipitated by two storms that battered Versailles in 1990 and then again in 1999. The storm damage at Versailles and Trianon amounted to the loss of thousands of trees – the worst such damage in the history of Versailles. 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. (Thompson, 2006)

Catherine Pégard Catherine Pégard (born 5 August 1954) is a French political journalist. She has spent most of her career at '' Le Point'' where she was editor. In 2007, she was appointed adviser to President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, and in charge of the "po ...

, the head of the public establishment which administers Versailles, has stated that the intention is to return the gardens to their appearance under Louis XIV, specifically as he described them in his 1704 description, ''Manière de Montrer les Jardins de Versailles''. This involves restoring some of the parterres like the ''Parterre du Midi'' to their original formal layout, as they appeared under Le Nôtre. This was achieved in the ''Parterre de Latone'' in 2013, when the 19th century lawns and flower beds were torn up and replaced with

boxwood ''Buxus'' is a genus of about seventy species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box or boxwood. The boxes are native to western and southern Europe, southwest, southern and eastern Asia, Africa, Madagascar, northernmost South ...

-enclosed turf and gravel paths to create a formal arabesque design. Pruning is also done to keep trees at between 17 and 23 metres (56 to 75 feet), so as not to spoil the carefully calibrated perspectives of the gardens. 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.

The problem with water

The marvel of the gardens of Versailles – then as now – is the fountains. Yet, the very element that animates the gardens, water, has proven to be the affliction of the gardens since the time of Louis XIV. The gardens of

Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...

required water and local ponds provided an adequate supply. However, once Louis XIV began expanding the gardens with more and more fountains, supplying the gardens with water became a critical challenge. To meet the needs of the early expansions of the gardens under Louis XIV, water was pumped to gardens from ponds near the château, with the Clagny pond serving as the principal source. Water from the pond was pumped to the reservoir on top of the ''Grotte de Thétys'', which fed the fountains in the garden by means of gravitational hydraulics. Other sources included a series of reservoirs located on the Satory Plateau south of the château (Verlet, 1985). Chateau Versailles and the Grand Canal (Photo, 13-06-2010)

Chateau Versailles and the Grand Canal (Photo, 13-06-2010)

By 1664, increased demand for water necessitated additional sources. In that year, Louis Le Vau designed the ''Pompe'', a water tower built north of the château. The ''Pompe'' drew water from the Clagny pond using a system of windmills and horsepower to a cistern housed in the ''Pompes building. The capacity of the ''Pompe'' – 600 m³ of water per day – alleviated some of the water shortages in the garden (Thompson, 2006). 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''. While this system solved some of the water supply problems, there was never enough water to keep all of the fountains running in the garden in full-play all of the time (Thompson, 2006). 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. In 1672,

Jean-Baptiste Colbert Jean-Baptiste Colbert (; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French statesman who served as First Minister of State from 1661 until his death in 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His lasting impact on the organization of the countr ...

devised a system by which the

fountaineer Fountaineer is a portmanteau of "Fountain" and "Engineer" – Hydraulic engineer. Fountaineer describes one who designs, explores, or is passionate about fountains and their design, operation, and use. In addition, the Fontainiers made the water pi ...

s in the garden would signal each other with whistles upon the approach of the king indicating that their fountain needed to be turned on. Once the king passed a fountain in play, it would be turned off and the fountaineer would signal that the next fountain could be turned on (Thompson, 2006). In 1674, the ''Pompe'' was enlarged – hence referred to as the ''Grande Pompe''. Pumping capacity was increased via increased power and the number of pistons used for lifting the water. These improvements increased the water capacity to nearly 3,000 m³ of water per day; however, the increased capacity of the ''Grande Pompe'' often left the Clagny pond dry (Thompson, 2006). The increasing demand for water and the stress placed on existing systems of water supply necessitated newer measures to increase the water supplied to Versailles. Between 1668 and 1674, a project was undertaken to divert the water of the Bièvre river to Versailles. By damming the river and with a pumping system of five windmills, water was brought to the reservoirs located on the Satory Plateau. This system brought an additional 72,000 m³ of water to the gardens (Thompson, 2006). Pierre-denis-martin-view-of-the-marly-machine-and-the-aqueduct-at-louveciennes-1722

Pierre-denis-martin-view-of-the-marly-machine-and-the-aqueduct-at-louveciennes-1722

Despite the augmentation of water from the Bièvre, the gardens needed still more water, which necessitated more projects. In 1681, one of the most ambitious water projects conceived during the reign of Louis XIV was undertaken. Owing to the proximity of the

Seine ) , mouth_location = Le Havre/Honfleur , mouth_coordinates = , mouth_elevation = , progression = , river_system = Seine basin , basin_size = , tributaries_left = Yonne, Loing, Eure, Risle , tributarie ...

to Versailles, a project was proposed to raise the water from the river to be delivered to Versailles. Seizing upon the success of a system devised in 1680 that raised water from the Seine to the gardens of

Saint-Germain-en-Laye Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the centre of Paris. Inhabitants are called ''Saint-Germanois'' or ''Saint-Ge ...

, construction of the ''

'' began the following year. 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. A series of huge waterwheels was constructed in the river, which raised the water via a system of 64 pumps to a reservoir 48 metres above the river. From this first reservoir, water was raised an additional 56 metres to a second reservoir by a system of 79 pumps. Finally, 78 additional pumps raised the water to the aqueduct, which carried the water to Versailles and Marly. In 1685, the ''Machine de Marly'' came into full operation. However, owing to leakage in the conduits and breakdowns of the mechanism, the machine was only able to deliver 3,200 m³ of water per day – approximately one-half the expected output.Water from the ''Machine de Marly'' could be diverted for use at either Versailles or Marly but not to both. The machine was a must-see for visitors to France. 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). During Louis XIV's reign, water supply systems represented one-third of the building costs of Versailles. 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. With this measure of economy, fountains still consumed 12,800 m³ of water per day, far above the capacity of the existing supplies. 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. Accordingly, the ''Grandes Eaux'' were reserved for special occasions such as the Siamese Embassy of 1685–1686 (Hedin, 1992; ''Mercure Galant'', 1685). Aqueduc chateau Maintenon

One final attempt to solve water shortage problems was undertaken in 1685. In this year it was proposed to divert the water of the

Eure Eure () is a department in Normandy in Northwestern France, named after the river Eure. Its prefecture is Évreux. In 2019, Eure had a population of 599,507.Nine Years' War The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...

began, one-tenth of France's military was at work on the

project. With the outbreak of the war, the project was abandoned, never to be completed. Had the aqueduct been completed, some 50,000 m³ of water would have been sent to Versailles – more than enough to solve the water problem of the gardens (Thompson, 2006). Today, the museum of Versailles is still faced with water problems. During the ''Grandes Eaux'', water is circulated by means of modern pumps from the ''Grand Canal'' to the reservoirs. 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''. Assiduous husbanding of this resource by museum officials prevents tapping into the supply of potable water of the city of Versailles (Thompson, 2006).

In popular culture

The creation of the gardens of Versailles is the context for the film ''

A Little Chaos ''A Little Chaos'' is a 2014 British period drama film directed by Alan Rickman. The story was conceived by Alison Deegan who co-wrote the screenplay along with Rickman and Jeremy Brock. The film stars Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alan R ...

'', directed by

Alan Rickman Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman (21 February 1946 – 14 January 2016) was an English actor and director. Known for his deep, languid voice, he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and became a member of the Royal Shakespe ...

and released in 2015, in which

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, incl ...

plays a fictional landscape gardener and Rickman plays King Louis XIV.

Sources

The following are sources that have contributed to the above article. It is not an exhaustive list, yet it represents the most readily available imprints: * Anonymous. ''Description du chasteau de Versailles.'' (Paris: A. Vilette, 1685). * Berger, R. W. ''In the Gardens of the Sun King: Studies on the Park of Versailles Under Louis XIV''. (Washington, 1985). * Berger, Robert W. "Les guides imprimés de Versailles sous Louis XIV et le œuvres d'art allégoriques." ''Colloque de Versailles'' (1985). * Berger, Robert W. "A Source for the Latona Group at Versailles." ''Gazette des Beaux-Arts'' 6 pér., vol. 119 (avril 1992): 145–148. * Börtz-Laine, Agenta. "Un grand pavillon d'Apollon pour Versailles: les origines du projet de Nicodème Tessin le jeun." ''Colloque de Versailles'' (1985). * Bottineau, Yves. "Essais sur le Versailles de Louis XIV I: La distribution du château Versailles, le plan du domaine et de la ville." ''Gazette des Beaux-Arts'' 6 pér., vol. 112 (septembre 1988): 77–89. * Dangeau, Philippe de Courcillon, marquis de. ''Journal''. (Paris, 1854–60). * Félibien, André. ''Description sommaire du chasteau de Versailles.'' (Paris, 1674). * Félibien, Jean-François. ''Description sommaire de Versailles ancienne et nouvelle.'' (Paris, 1703). * Fennebresque, Juste. "Construction projetée sous Louis XIV à Versailles d'un pavillon d'Apollon." ''Revue de l'Histoire de Versailles'' (1902): 91-100. * Francastle, Pierre. ''La Sculpture de Versailles''. (Paris: Maison des Sciences de l'Homme, 1970). * Friedman, Ann. "The evolution of the Parterre d'eau." ''Journal of Garden History'' vol. 8, no. 1 (January–March 1988): 1–30. * Friedman, Ann. "Charles Le Brun as Landscape Architect: His Designs for the First Parterre d'eau at Versailles." ''Eighteenth Century Life'' vol. 17, n.s., 2 (May 1993): 24–35. * Girard, Jacques. ''Versailles gardens: sculpture and mythology''. Preface by Pierre Lemoine. (New York: Vendôme Press, 1983). * Hazlehurst, Franklin Hamilton. ''Gardens of Illusion''. (Nashville, Tennessee: Vanderbilt University Press, 1980). . * Hedin, Thomas. "The Parterre d'eau at Versailles: an eighteenth-century recollection." ''Minneapolis Institute of Arts Bulletin'' 65 (1981–1982): 50–65. * Hedin, Thomas. "Versailles and the 'Mercure Gallant': The Promenade of the Siamese Ambassadors." ''Gazette des Beaux-Arts'' 6 pér., vol. 119 (avril 1992): 149–172. * Hoog, Simone. "Sur la restauration de quelques sculptures du parc du Versailles." ''Monuments historiques de la France'' 138 (April–May 1985): 50–56. * Hoog, Simone. ''Louis XIV: Manière de montrer les jardins de Versailles''. (Paris: Éditions de la Réunion des musées nationaux, 1982). * Lighthart, Edward. "Archétype et symbole dans le style Louis XIV versaillais: réflexions sur ''l'imago rex'' et ''l'imago patriae'' au début de l'époque moderne." (Doctoral thesis, 1997) * Loach, J. "Le labyrinthe et l'esprit du XVIIe." ''Colloque de Versailles'' (1985). * Louis XIV. ''Guide de Versailles''. ed. Pierre Jaquillard. (Lyon: Courrier de La Cote, n.d). * Louis XIV. ''Mémoires''. ed. Charles Dreyss. (Paris: Didier et Cie, 1860). * Mâle, Émile. "Le clef des allégories peintes et sculptées de Versailles." ''Revue de l'Histoire de Versailles'' (1927): 73 82. * Marriage, Thierry. "L'univers de Le Nostre et les origines de l'aménagement du territoire." ''Monuments historiques de la France'' 143 (février-mars 1986): 8-13. * Marie, Alfred. ''Naissance de Versailles''. (Paris, 1968). * Marie, Alfred & Jeanne. ''Mansart à Versailles''. (Paris, 1972). * Marie, Alfred & Jeanne. ''Versailles au temps de Louis XIV''. (Paris, 1976). * Marie, Alfred & Jeanne. ''Versailles au temps de Louis XV''. (Paris:, 1984). * Marquis de Sourches. ''Mémoires sur le règne de Louis XIV''. Ed. Cosnac & Pontel, 13 vol. (Paris, 1882–93). * ''Mecure Galant'', septembre 1686. * Monicart, Jean-Baptiste de. ''Versailles immortalisé''. (Paris: E. Ganeau, 1720). * Nolhac, Pierre de. ''La création de Versailles''. (Versailles, 1901). * Nolhac, Pierre de. "L'orangerie de Mansart à Versailles." ''Revue de l'Histoire de Versailles'' (1902): 81–90. * Nolhac, Pierre de. ''Les dernières Constructions de Le Vau à Versailles''. (Versailles : L. Bernard, 1899). * Nolhac, Pierre de. ''Versailles, Résidence de Louis XIV''. (Paris, 1925). * Perrault, Charles. ''Labyrinthe de Versailles. '' (Paris, 1669). * Piganiole de la Force. ''Nouvelle description des chasteaux et parcs de Versailles et Marly. '' (Paris, 1701) * Pinatel, Christine. "Un dessin révèle l'origine d'un marbre antique du parc de Versailles." ''Revue du Louvre'' 35/1 (1985): 1–8. * Princesse Palatine, duchess d'Orléans. ''Lettres de Madame, duchesse d'Orléans''. (Paris, 1981). * Saint-Simon, Louis de Rouvoy, duc de. ''Memoires''. 7 vols. (Paris, 1953–61). * Scudéry, Madeleine de. ''La promenade de Versailles. '' (Paris, 1669). * Souchal, François. "Les statues aux façades du château de Versailles." ''Gazette des Beaux-Arts'' 6 pér., vol. 79 (février 1972): 65-110. * Thompson, Ian. ''The Sun King's Garden: Louis XIV,

and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles''. (London, 2006). * Verlet, Pierre. ''Le château de Versailles''. (Paris: Librairie Arthème Fayard, 1985). * Verlet, Pierre. ''Versailles''. (Paris: Librairie Arthème Fayard, 1961). * Waltisperger, Chantal. "La clôture du grand parc de Versailles." ''Revue de l'Art '' 65 (1984): 14–17. * Weber, Gerold. "Charles LeBrun: Recueil des divers dessins de fontaines." ''Münchner Jahrbuch der bildenden Kunst'' (1981): 151–181. * Weber, Gerold. "Ein Kascadenprojekt für Versailles." ''Zeitschrift für Kunstgeschicte'' Band 37, Heft 3/4 (1974): 248–268. * Weber, Gerold. "Réflexions sur la genèse du jardin français classique et de son décor." ''Eighteenth Century Life'' vol. 17, n.s., 2 (May 1993): 1-23. * Wiebenson, Dora. "Commentaires anglais du XVIIe siècle sur le parc de Versailles." ''Colloque de Versailles'' (1985).

Notes

External links

{{Authority control *Gardens Versailles (Gardens)

Versailles World Heritage Sites in France