The Gardens and The Fountains of Versailles
During the expansion and embellishment of the castle, Louis XIV entrusted the creation of the gardens to Le Nôtre. It took 20 years for him to achieve this absolute masterpiece where all is once again perfection, symmetry and harmony. The gardens were designed for walking, while the flower beds were designed to highlight the castle. More than 300 statues, vases and busts decorate the paths. Water was also omnipresent with 1,400 fountains and waterfalls (only 607 of them remain today) as an integral part of the production. The sun theme is honored in the gardens as it is inside the castle. Every path offered the stroller its own allegorical figure; every clump of trees hid its own mythological legend. All was elegant, majestic and a symbol of the almighty king. This all took 6.2 million liters of water per hour to run. The king did not want to waste this valuable liquid, as water was so rare at the time, so he ordered that only the fountains he passed on his daily strolls be activated.
Pictures from Marie Antionette's private cottage
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