In the Hall of Mirrors, courtiers and guests who did not have direct access to the King may say something or leave a letter for him. They might also catch a sight of the King as he traveled between his many rooms from this room. It was used on a regular basis as a waiting and meeting area for courtiers and guests. The King utilized the Palace of Versailles’ mirror room for a variety of reasons. The sculptures, furniture, and other items of art that adorned the Hall of Mirrors demonstrated creative mastery. The financial superiority was demonstrated by the use of 357 mirrors, which were costly extravagances at the time. King Louis XIV desired a ‘power’ chamber while also believing that he needed a room that demonstrated France’s aesthetic, political, and economical supremacy to the rest of the world.Įxperts think the King and his architect intended for the numerous paintings depicting his achievements on the ceiling to portray political dominance. He despised the terrace and believed the huge terrace perched over the Palace of Versailles’ entryway looked odd. The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles was built for two reasons by King Louis XIV. While the building of the Hall of Mirrors has ceased, the restoration of the structure has not. On the vaulted ceiling, Charles Le Brun, a well-known French artist of the time, created 30 compositions reflecting Louis XIV and France’s proud past. It boasts a 40-foot (12.2-meter) high ceiling with brightly painted murals. The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles is 240 feet long and 34 feet broad (10.4 meters).
If you’re wondering, “How many mirrors are there in the Hall of Mirrors?” 357 is the correct answer. There are twenty-one mirrors in each of the seventeen arches, for a total of 357 mirrors.
Mirror palais windows#
The seventeen mirror-clad arches that reflect the seventeen arcaded windows overlooking the Versailles gardens are the room’s defining feature. For something erected at the end of the 17th century – approximately 350 years ago – it is completely innovative. The Hall of Mirrors is opulence at its finest. The Hall of Mirrors, arguably the most magnificent chamber in the world, was completed in six years.
The Hall of Mirrors was designed by architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and construction began the same year. He opted to merge a few rooms from the Kings and Queens’ apartments, as well as the huge terrace in front of the Palace, into one enormous space. The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles was not originally planned for the Palace, but King Louis XIV chose to create it in 1678. The history of the Hall of Mirrors is far shorter than that of the Palace of Versailles. The Hall of Mirrors attracts the most tourists of all the attractions at the Palace of Versailles. During the reign of the Kings, it was the most often used chamber. The construction began in 1678 and concluded in 1684.Įvery year, almost ten million people visit the Palace of Versailles, and every one of them sees the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, an aesthetic masterpiece. Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Le Vau’s successor, created a more acceptable design that replaced the terrace with a vast gallery. The terrace originally existed between the King’s Apartments to the north and the Queen’s Apartments to the south, but it was inconvenient and, above all, exposed to inclement weather, so it was demolished not long after. It’s also known as the Grande Galerie or Galerie des Glaces in French. The most renowned chamber in the Palace, the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, was erected to replace a huge terrace planned by architect Louis Le Vau that opened into the garden.