Grand Trianon

The baroque Grand Trianon castle served as imperial, royal and aristocratic residence. The palace consists of a courtyard with gardens and ponds, a hall of honor, apartments with rich furnishings. The rooms are located in two wings connected by a column gallery.

Louis XIV bought Trianon, an estate on the outskirts of Versailles, and commissioned architect Louis Le Vau to design the porcelain pavilion to be built there. The facade was made of white and blue ceramic plates. Its construction lasted in the years 1670 - 1672. Ceramic tiles turned out to be too delicate.

Louis XIV ordered the demolition of the pavilion and entrusted architect Jules Hardouin Mansart with designing a new structure. The new structure was built in the years 1687-1688, and the material used was red Langwedock marble. In addition to Louis XIV, the palace lived, among others Marquis de Montespan, the Orléans family, Duchess of Bourbon and Napoleon.