The Bassin d’Apollon of the Château de Versailles !!!

Posted in Europe, France, Versailles

In my dear gorgeous Versailles ; there are many places other than the castle. The city needs to be seen more, my kind of town, actually did lived there for 9+ glorious years! Very nice family memories. I found me older pictures from one of my cd roms ,and again they should be in my blog, Therefore, here is my take again on the Bassin d’Apollon of the Château de Versailles !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I

The bassin du char d’Apollon or bassin d’Apollon is an artificial basin of the gardens of the Palace of Versailles and appointed after Apollo. It is located on the central axis of the park, in front of the Grand Canal. The garden, developed by André Le Nôtre, was built to illustrate the solar myth of Apollo, and through this the splendor of the Sun King. The Apollo basin fountain is a central element of this garden. The chariot of Apollo emerges from the water, pulled by four horses. The sculptor added to his feet Phaeton, falling from the chariot, and around it in the basin, trees blowing in their conques and dolphins. The group was made to the Gobelins and then sent to Versailles in 1670, Carried away by four horses, accompanied by a love, four dolphins and four newts, the god appears in all his glory, crowned with iridescent reflections, a delicate tribute of water to the light The scene when the sun god springs from the bottom of the seas to start his race around the earth. Here, we are of course echoing the very figure of the king who chooses the solar star as an emblem in 1662, and who dominates and governed court life as Apollo directs the sunrise and sunset.

Versailles char d'Apollon dec24

Under Louis XIV, the existing basin at this location was enlarged and decorated in 1671 of the famous golden lead representing Apollo on its chariot. The work of Jean-Baptiste Tuby, according to a drawing by Charles Le Brun, is inspired by the legend of the God of the Sun, emblem of the king. The Apollo basin replaces the bassin des Cygnes or swan basin which serves as a framework for one of the days of the pleasures of the enchanted island of 1664 and which had itself replaced the Rondeau. When Versailles is still the simple hunting relay of Louis XIII, there is already a circular basin here, the Rondeau, which drains the rainwater. In 1660, Louis XIV gave it its current dimensions: 120 meters long and 80 meters wide, Recently, a new restoration started in 2022, and the Apollo basin and group were delivered in March 2024. The gold leaf gilding of the statues were fully redone.

The Château de Versailles on the bassin d’Apollon : https://bienvenue.chateauversailles.fr/en/gardens/welcome/307_apollo-s-fountain

The Versailles tourist office on the palace’s gardens : https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/the-versailles-gardens.html

There you go folks, one of the must to see in Versailles ,and worth it. Another masterpiece of my belle France, and hope you have the time to see it while at this huge property that is the Domaine de Versailles. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Bassin d’Apollon 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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