<p align="center"><a href="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Versailles_Palace.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-3529" alt="Versailles_Palace" src="http://jeanatacc.com/2011/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Versailles_Palace-300x180.jpg" width="300" height="180" /></a></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Versailles_Palace.jpg">http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a7/Versailles_Palace.jpg</a></p>
            Originally constructed in the 17<sup>th</sup> century, the Palace of Versailles is a not only monument to architectural genius, but also to the opulence and absolute monarchy of an era. Continuously built upon through the 17<sup>th</sup> century and into the 18<sup>th</sup>, it served as a symbol of the decadence of the monarchy of France, only to essentially become the physical manifestation of everything the French Revolution stood against. In that sense, it is a time capsule of sorts to a bygone era, and should be preserved not only as an incredible achievement of art and design, but also as a lesson of human error in the past, one that is as relevant today as it ever was.<!--more-->

Typical of the era of the <i>Ancien Regime</i>, the Palace is massive and filled to the brim with every kind of opulent grandeur one could conceive of. There are countless rooms and passageways, a massive outdoor garden with fountains, sculptures, and even an entirely separate house in the more wooded areas of the grounds that served as a country estate that was built so that Marie Antoinette could retreat from the palace when things got too “stressful” for her (chateauversailles.fr) . That palace stands as a monument to the French Aristocracy of the era, and all the decadence that came with the territory.

It was innovative for its time in that it served not only as a place of living for the French monarchy, but also as the seat of authoritative power from which the monarchy governed. (Berger) Also, the palace served as a repository for confiscated works of art, science, medicine, etc. during the French Revolution, as well as a collection of curiosities from around the world (Fromageot). In that sense, the palace was a museum of sorts at the time, housing many works of varying values, some of which became part of the eventual museum and could have been lost to time had they not been amassed at the palace.

There is not much information on how the palace was received at the time of its construction. It is generally accepted that it was a physical manifestation of the gluttony and decadence of the French Aristocracy that the Revolution stood against, and by contrast, a modern architectural marvel. Today, the palace is seen as an invaluable masterpiece of design, and an irreplaceable piece of history. Having toured the palace myself, I can attest to its grandeur and splendor.

When I toured the palace, I was surprised by how small the rooms and corridors often were, despite the palace itself being so massive. There were a handful of very large rooms, but for the most part, it often felt cramped. However, the sheer number of works of art, both intentional and unintentional, within the palace is staggering. The gardens were what truly made my jaw drop, however. I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and both the absurdity of the need for such a monument to royalty and the sheer beauty of it all struck me. It truly is a testament to human ingenuity, and should be recognized as such, flaws and all.

To compare the palace to another work of its time would be a little tricky, but one of the closest examples would be the Taj Mahal, another insanely opulent palace dedicated to the worship of royalty. Like the Palace of Versailles, the Taj Mahal is a monument to both architectural genius and sheer decadence. One key difference is within the origins of either palace. While the Palace at Versailles was built almost exclusively for pleasure, the Taj Mahal was constructed as a massive mausoleum, after Emperor Shah Jahan was devastated by the death of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal (Asher). It is striking then, the differences in how miracles of human ingenuity often occur. Some are born of pride, others of grief and trauma.

Future generations would do well to look on the Palace at Versailles as a testament to the kind of artistic prowess mankind can achieve, but also as a stark reminder of an age of opulence that was brought to justice when the wealthy few stood on the shoulders of the countless poor.

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<p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Works Cited</span></p>

<ul>
	<li>Asher, Catherine Ella Blanshard (2003). <i>The New Cambridge History of India, Vol I:4 - Architecture of Mughal India</i> (Hardback) (First published 1992, reprinted 2001,2003 ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 368.</li>
	<li>"Découvrir Le DomaineLe Domaine De Marie-Antoinette." <i>Chateau Versailles: Le Domaine De Marie-Antoinette</i>. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Oct. 2013. &lt;http://www.chateauversailles.fr/domaine-marie-antoinette&gt;.</li>
	<li>Berger, Robert W., Hedin, Thomas F., (29 Aug 2008). <a href="http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Z2CTyoG9UtwC&amp;pg=PA27#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false"><i>Diplomatic Tours in the Gardens of Versailles Under Louis XIV</i></a>. University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 27.</li>
	<li>Fromageot, P (August 1903). "Le Château de Versailles en 1795, d’après le journal de Hugues Lagarde". <i>Revue de l’histoire de Versailles</i>: 224–240</li>
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