And great to show you my beloved Versailles. I have found me more pictures in my cd rom vault of the Hôtel de Ville and they should be in my blog for you and me. This is a popular City but only for the palace, folks should walk easy and see more of the architecture and history of the royal City of Versailles. Therefore, let me tell you a bit more on the Hôtel de Ville of Versailles, part III !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The front of the Hôtel de Ville is magnificent ,and once you are inside in the main lobby you will see statues of personages of Versailles leading to a nice stairs to the upper municipal services offices , where the gorgeous marriage hall or salon de fêtes is located. The top is shown as a dome from the outside. On the back there is a courtyard nicely mowed ,where the stairs comes out in the form of a horse shoe, and afterward a park like with trees very nice indeed. In the gardens see the statue to Afonso Henriques the conqueror first king of Portugal donated by the Portuguese communityof Versailles.
The Hôtel de Ville or city hall is made up of two distinct parts: the first, along the rue du Général de Gaulle, looking at the palace, is a small building preceded by a large staircase. The second, which looks at the Avenue de Paris, is an imposing neo-Louis XIII building dating from 1897-1900. In 1859, the city officially became the owner of the building. Woodwork from this period is preserved in the modern part of the building. The city/town hall was inaugurated on November 18, 1900. It was surmounted by a campanile dominating the city and opens onto the avenue de Paris around a main courtyard surrounded by gates. In 1945, the building lost its campanile, considered too high, while the gates of the main courtyard disappeared. In the beforementioned see the neo-Louis XIII facade and fountain basin converted into a planter.
An easy quick visit can be done going inside the Hôtel de Ville or City/town hall of Versailles, You will see on the ground was the coat of arms of Versailles, which is blue with golden fleurs-de-lis. At the bottom of the steps, there is a very large statue of an angel holding a lyre. We then entered the Salle des Fêtes or Village Hall. It is very large. There are paintings and the bust of Marianne. On Marianne’s Phrygian cap, there is a cockade, a symbol of patriotism. The tour continued in the salle du Conseil Municipal or Municipal Council Chamber, where the local government meetings are held today, Finally, we visited the wedding hall. the register of births, marriages, and deaths of events in Versailles.
A bit of history tell us that in 1670, on the initiative of Bernardin Gigault de Bellefonds ,Marshal of France , Governor of the kennels and the Louveterie of the king, which rises in the present 4 Avenue de Paris, a beautiful mansion whose gardens extend to the park of the palace!. But the construction work of the Royal Stables (present-day National School of Architecture of Versailles) depriving the marshal of his royal perspective, he sells his hotel to the Knights of Lorraine. King Louis XIV acquired it in 1680 for Louis de Bourbon, Count of Vermandois, his legitimate son, who died prematurely three years later. When the count died , the mansion became the home of his sister Marie-Anne, the Princess de Conti, who used it for great parties that were the toast of Versailles and that is why it was known as the palace of Conti!. Louis de Bourbon and Marie-Anne were Louis XIV children by his mistress Louise de la Vallière (see post no her castle).
The hotel was finally bought in 1723 by Louis XV to house Louis IV Henri de Bourbon-Condé, Duke of Bourbon, Grand master of his house. Important works of decoration, where painters and sculptors compete in creativity and virtuosity, are undertaken under the direction of Robert de Cotte, the first architect of the king and disciple of Mansart. It even opens the gardens to the public to facilitate communication between the thriving Saint-Louis and Notre-Dame neighbourhoods! Unoccupied during the French revolution, the hotel welcomes in January 1790, the city hall of Versailles, until then housed in the former royal furniture depot , current 11 rue des Reservoirs. From that time dates the extension of the rue Royale towards the Avenue de Paris. The building, which is entered by the Avenue de Berry (current avenue du Général de Gaulle), The building became the official Hôtel de Ville, and in 1859, the city officially became the owner of the building housing the Hôtel de Ville.
The City of Versailles on the City history: https://www.versailles.fr/65/decouvrir-versailles
The Versailles Tourist office on the hôtel de ville: https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/city-hall.html
There you go folks, enjoy Versailles, like I said ,it’s a lot more than a castle. The Hôtel de Ville is gorgeous. The area is full of wonderful architecture and history of my belle France ; my kind of town, and it was ! Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Hôtel de Ville of Versailles, part III as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 