Friday, June 30
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The Palace of Versailles was the principal royal residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French Revolution in 1789, under Louis XVI. The palace is now an historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage site, notable especially for the ceremonial Hall of Mirrors, the jewel-like Royal Opera, and the royal apartments; the royal residences, the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon located within the park; the small rustic Hamlet created for Marie Antoinette; and the Gardens of Versailles with fountains, canals, and geometric flower beds and groves.
The Palace was stripped of all its furnishings after the French Revolution but many pieces have been returned and many of the palace rooms have been restored. It is the second-most visited monument in Paris, behind the Louvre and ahead of the Eiffel Tower.
To all the glories of France
The Fountain of Apollo depicts the Greek sun god Apollo rising from the sea at daybreak in his four-horse chariot.
The Latona Fountain in the Gardens of Versailles, with a statue of the goddess Latona, mistress of Jupiter, and her children, Apollo and Diana. The second and third tiers of the fountain have frogs (Latona turned the peasants of Lycia (Turkey) into frogs when they refused to give her water.), while the lowest tier has turtles and alligators.
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