Versailles

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Versailles City in n France, 16km (10mi) wsw of Paris, capital of Yvelines department. It is famous for its former royal palace, now a world heritage site visited by two million tourists a year. Louis XIII built his hunting lodge at Versailles. In 1682, Louis XIV made Versailles his royal seat and transformed the lodge into a palace with extensive gardens. The architects Louis Le Vau, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, and Robert de Cotte built the monumental palace in a French classical style. Charles Le Brun designed the interior, which includes the Royal Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors. André Le Nôtre landscaped the magnificent gardens. The park also contains the Grand and Petit Trianon Palaces. Versailles was a royal residence until the French Revolution (1789). It was the scene of the signing of several peace treaties, notably at the conclusion of the Franco-Prussian War and World War I. Pop. (1999) 85,726.

http://www.chateauversailles.fr

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