The Salon de Mars of the Château de Versailles !!!

Posted in Europe, France, Versailles

And why not come on in to the Palace/Museum of Versailles. Let me update this post on one of the beautiful rooms inside. This is a place that needs no introduction, as it is world famous, and lately crowded.  Unfortunately, 98% of visitors only go to the palace/museum and missed on a lot to see in the city of Versailles. Therefore, this is my take on the Salon de Mars of the Château de Versailles !!!  Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Nevertheless, the fame is such that I need to showcase some areas of it that I think merits more from the palace/museum better known as the Château de Versailles. And more as the Domaine de Versailles if we includes the vast park of which you find the trianons, farm, orangerie, and vast gardens on either side of the Grand Canal! I like to take just one room I like that is the Mars room or Salon de Mars! Picture below view from it to the garden!

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The Salon de Mars is a room of the Château de Versailles, and part of the King’s Great Apartments, this room decorated with the theme of Mars, the god of Roman mythology, served as the Hall of the Guards of the time of king Louis XIV.

A bit of history I like tell us that the Salon de Mars, which follows the salons of Venus and Diane,(see posts) was a function of the guard hall. It marked the real entrance to the King’s apartment, giving access to the salon de Mercure (see post). At the apartment evenings get together were arranged by king Louis XIV, the Mars room was first devoted to games. There were several tables for card games and other games of chance. Around 1685, the king pierced the two walls on either side of the chimney and arranged two grandstands supported by columns for the musicians (Italian musicians see post). The Mars room is then devoted to music and dance. King Louis XV made these grandstands disappear in 1750.

The wonderful Mars room is elaborate decorated and just plain gorgeous a must to see. As the function of the Mars room imposes, the iconography of the ceiling is devoted to the god Mars and to the works of warriors. A   gilded cornice is supported by helmets of all models such as Romans, Turks.etc. The central composition represents Mars on a chariot pull by wolves. It is framed by two other compositions, the victory sustained by Hercules followed by Abundance and Bliss and terror, fury and fright seize the powers of the Earth.  The paintings of the covings, in Camaïeu d’or, illustrate the achievements of great warriors of ancient history such as the vaults of Julius Caesar passing his legions in review, Cyrus haranguing his soldiers, and Demetrios Poliorcete taking a city by assault. The Triumph of Constantine, Marc Anthony rewards an officer,and Alexandre Severus, degrades an officer.

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These shades are linked together by natural compositions forming a frieze representing warrior loves such as the spandrels, treated in bas-reliefs of gilded stucco, realized according to drawings of Le Brun and illustrate the military supremacy of France over the European powers: The Allegory of the victory of French troops on the Turks during the Battle of the Saint Gotthard, allegory of French supremacy on the sea, allegory of the supremacy of France over Spain and Holland and allegory of France’s supremacy over the Empire.

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Again is part of the itinerary of seeing the palace/museum of Versailles, but it merits a bit of time to observe all the above.  

The official Château de Versailles on the King’s Grand Apartments including the Salon de Mars:https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/estate/palace/king-state-apartment#the-mars-room  

The city of Versailles on the palace/museum: https://www.versailles.fr/ma-ville/decouvrir/chateau-de-versailles/

There you go folks, a beautiful Mars ‘ room or Salon de Mars. One of the must to see inside the Château de Versailles, and do come early the world is already there! Again ,hope you enjoy the post on the Salon de Mars of the Château de Versailles !!! as I. 

And remember happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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