Construction of Versailles hunting lodge
- When
- 1623–1632
- Where
- Versailles, France
- Episodes
- 2
In 1623, Louis XIII constructed a modest brick-and-stone hunting lodge in Versailles, a wooded wetland near Paris. The structure included a small gallery and tapestried rooms, serving as a retreat in his favorite hunting grounds before later expansion.
Episodes
- Initial Lodge Construction
Louis XIII built a modest brick-and-stone hunting lodge in Versailles in 1623.
- Land Acquisition
Louis XIII acquired part of the Versailles land in 1623 and the remainder in 1632.
Background and detail
Background. Louis XIII acquired land in Versailles starting in 1623, selecting a site in a wooded wetland southwest of Paris. The location was considered unworthy by his court, yet it served as a favorite hunting ground for the king, distinct from his primary residence at Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
Construction. The initial structure was a modest brick-and-stone hunting lodge built in 1623. It featured a small gallery, several rooms hung with tapestries, and a central salon. This lodge was later replaced by a château between 1631 and 1634 by architect Philibert Le Roy.
People involved
- Louis XIII · King of France and builder of the lodge
- François de Bassompierre · Courtier who criticized the lodge
Sources
- Palace of Versailles Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-23
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.