Gardens of Versailles

Gardens of Versailles
Jardins du château de Versailles
Aerial view of the gardens from above the palace
Type	French Formal Gardens
Location	Versailles, France
Nearest city	Trianon
Coordinates	48°48′29″N 2°6′30″E / 48.80806°N 2.10833°E / 48.80806; 2.10833
Area	800 ha.
Created	1630s
Founder	Louis XIII
Designer	André Le Nôtre Charles Le Brun Louis Le Vau Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Administered by	Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles, French Ministry of Culture
Visitors	6 million (in 2009)
Awards	UNESCO World Heritage site
Camp sites	No
Paths	Yes
Water	Grand Canal; others
Plants	200,000 trees 210,000 flowers planted annually
Features	50 fountains 620 water jets (fed by 35 km. piping) 5.57 km Grand Canal (circumference; surface area 23 ha.)[1] 2100 sculptures

The Gardens of Versailles (French: Jardins du château de Versailles [ʒaʁdɛ̃ dy ʃɑto d(ə) vɛʁsɑj]) occupy part of what was once the Domaine royal de Versailles, the royal demesne of the château of Versailles. Situated to the west of the palace, the gardens cover some 800 hectares of land, much of which is landscaped in the classic French formal garden style perfected here by André Le Nôtre. Beyond the surrounding belt of woodland, the gardens are bordered by the urban areas of Versailles to the east and Le Chesnay to the north-east, by the National Arboretum de Chèvreloup to the north, the Versailles plain (a protected wildlife preserve) to the west, and by the Satory Forest to the south.

Administered by the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles, an autonomous public entity operating under the aegis of the French Ministry of Culture, the gardens are now one of the most visited public sites in France, receiving more than six million visitors a year.^[2]

In addition to the meticulous manicured lawns, parterres, and sculptures are the fountains, which are located throughout the garden. Dating from the time of Louis XIV and still using much of the same network of hydraulics as was used during the Ancien Régime, the fountains contribute to making the gardens of Versailles unique. On weekends from late spring to early autumn, the administration of the museum sponsors the Grandes Eaux – spectacles during which all the fountains in the gardens are in full play. Designed by André Le Nôtre, the Grand Canal is the masterpiece of the Gardens of Versailles. In the Gardens too, the Grand Trianon was built to provide the Sun King with the retreat he wanted. The Petit Trianon is associated with Marie Antoinette, who spent her time there with her closest relatives and friends.^[3]

In 1979, the gardens along with the château were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for their cultural importance during the 17th and 18th centuries.^[4]