Chapels of Versailles

The present chapel of the Palace of Versailles is the fifth in the history of the palace. These chapels evolved with the expansion of the château and formed the focal point of the daily life of the court during the Ancien Régime (Bluche, 1986, 1991; Petitfils, 1995; Solnon, 1987).

The château's first chapel dated from the time of Louis XIII, and was located in a detached pavilion at the northeast of the château. Today, the pièce de la vaisselle d'or in the petit appartement du roi occupies the approximate emplacement of the château's first chapel. This chapel followed the two-story palatine model, which was traditional in France; successive chapels at Versailles followed this model. This chapel was destroyed in 1665 during the construction of the Grotte de Thétys (Batifol, 1909, 1913; Kimball, 1944; Le Guillou, 1983, 1989; Marie, 1968; Verlet, 1985).

The château's second chapel was created during Louis XIV’s second building campaign (1669–1672), when Louis Le Vau constructed the château neuf. When the new part of the château was completed, the chapel was situated in the grand appartement de la reine and formed the symmetrical pendant with the salon de Diane in the grand appartement du roi. This chapel was used by the royal family and court until 1678 at which time a new chapel was constructed, and this one was converted into the salle des gardes de la reine (Félibien, 1674; Kimball, 1944; Le Guillou, 1983, 1989; Marie, 1972, 1976; Scudéry, 1669; Verlet, 1985).

Located next to the new salle des gardes de la reine, this chapel served the needs of life at Versailles for a short period of time. Soon after its construction, Louis XIV found it inconvenient and impractical for his needs as well as those of his court, which he had officially installed at Versailles in 1682. In 1682, this room was converted into the grande salles des gardes de la reine (and now exists as la salle du sacre) and a new chapel was built (Combes, 1681; Kimball, 1944; Le Guillou, 1983, 1989; Marie, 1972, 1976; Verlet, 1985).

With the construction of the aile du Nord, the north wing of the château, a new chapel was built. Construction of the north wing necessitated the destruction of the Grotte de Thétys; it was on this site that the new chapel was built in 1682. When the fourth chapel was constructed, the salon de l’Abondance, which had served as entry to the cabinet des médailles in the petit appartement du roi, was transformed into the vestibule de la chapelle — so named as it was from this upper level of the chapel that king and selected members of the royal family heard daily mass. This chapel remained in use until 1710, and was witness to many of the important events of the court and royal family during the reign of Louis XIV. Today the salon d’Hercule and the lower vestibule occupy the space of this site (Félibien, 1703; Kimball, 1944; Le Guillou, 1983, 1989; Marie, 1972, 1976; Piganiole de la Force, 1701; Verlet, 1985).

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