Grand Trianon - Versailles

The Grand Trianon is located on the grounds of the Palace of Versailles in Versailles, France. The building sits on land once occupied by the village of Trianon. Purchased by King Louis XIV in 1668, the village was destroyed and a small chateau, called the Porcelain Trianon, was erected. By 1687 Louis had grown tired of the building and it was demolished to make way for a new chateau. Under the guidance of architect Jules Hardouin-Manasart, work was almost immediately underway on what would come to be known as the Grand Trianon, although it was initially called the Marble Trianon. The building was completed in 1688 and would eventually house a large collection of art work. After the death of Louis XIV in 1715 the building would begin a slow decline during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis the XVI, eventually being abandoned by the time of the French Revolution. In 1810 the newly divorced Emperor Napoleon had the chateau refurbished for himself and his new wife Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria. In the years after Napoleon’s departure in 1813 the Grand Trianon once again fell into disrepair. There were restorations made during the reign of Louis-Philippe after he came into power in 1830. He needed a residence close to Versailles in order to be on hand to supervise a new museum he was building. After his departure the building once again fell into disrepair. The chateau was neglected until the 1960’s when a major renovation took place, in which much of the original artwork and furnishing were gathered together from various locations, in order to prepare it as a guest house for visiting dignitaries, a function it served from 1966 until the 1980’s. Queen Elizabeth II and Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter were all guests during this time. Now the Grand Trainon is part of the Palace of Versailles complex.

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