The Palace of Versailles and King Louis XIV

Today, the Palace of Versailles and its gardens are some of the most elaborate and extravagant pieces of French art.

Originally, Versailles belonged to Albert de Gondi. Gondi would invite King Louis XIII to Versailles for hunting trips. The King went hunting in Versailles’ forests many times and truly enjoyed the location. At this time he asked that a hunting lodge be built on the land. In 1632 he became the owner of Versailles and started construction on additions to the chateau. His successor Louis XIV continued to expand the chateau and it became one of the largest palaces in the world. The expansion was done in four main building campaigns and it achieved much of its current appearance through the third campaign.

The Palace of Versailles was originally built as a hunting lodge, but it was not expanded into the extravagant palace it is today for the same reason. When King Louis XIV began to expand the palace he did it for two main reasons.

The first reason was a result of a traumatic experience from his childhood. As an adult, he was afraid that there would be another attempted takeover. In 1682, King Louis XIV officially moved the royal court to Versailles. This meant that state affairs and other royal events took place. It was truly the center of political life during King Louis XIV’s reign. Moving the royal court from Paris to Versailles allowed for isolation and made it easier for treasonous actions to be discovered and dealt with.

The second reason that both the palace and the gardens were created so excessively was to impress the guests by showing power and wealth. The palace was built to be massive and over the top. The gardens were extremely expansive and had incredible features. For example, the water features used so much water that not all of the fountains could be turned on at once. There was a man who would run ahead of the King and his guests to turn on the water features while the King walked by and then turn them off when he was past. Everything about the palace and the garden was over the top and that was the whole idea.

The Palace of Versailles was and still is one of the most incredible palaces in the world and the gardens are an absolutely breathtaking work of art. Regardless of the reasons for it being built, it is something that can truly be enjoyed and admired by people all over the world.

For more information, check out these links:

http://en.chateauversailles.fr/the-palace-

http://en.chateauversailles.fr/history/versailles-during-the-centuries/living-at-the-court/a-day-in-the-life-of-louis-xiv

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Versailles

Photo Sources:

Versailles Garden. N.d. Photograph. France TourismWeb. 20 Mar 2014. <http://www.francetourism.com.au/versailles-palace-guided-tours>.

The Palace of Versailles. N.d. Photograph. Versailles Palace TourWeb. 20 Mar 2014. <http://www.versailles-visit.com/palace-of-versailles.html>.

Palace of Versailles. 2007. Photograph. HamhovHotov Picture GalleryWeb. 20 Mar 2014. <http://www.hamovhotov.com/picturegallery/?level=picture&id=567>.

Palace at Versailles. N.d. Photograph. West Fargo PackersWeb. 20 Mar 2014. <http://worldhistoryprojectbs.wikispaces.com/Crisis & Absolutism in Europe>.

The King's Garden - Copenhagen, Denmark

Question: How has the King's Garden in Copenhagen changed over time?

The King’s garden in Copenhagen, Denmark is one of the most visited gardens in Copenhagen today. It was built over 400 years ago and has transitioned from one style of a garden to another throughout its history. The King’s garden is an extension of Rosenberg castle however it was built shortly before the main castle was built. King Christian IV originally built the castle in 1606. Its purpose was to be a summerhouse for the royal family. Both the castle and the gardens were built originally built in the Renaissance style. Just like the gardens, the castle changed and expanded on overtime.

           

When it was first built, both Rosenberg castle and the King’s garden were built in the renaissance style. There were many features that made the garden a renaissance style garden. First, the garden was expansive and outward looking which was something new when it came to renaissance design. Another new idea that came with the renaissance was the country retreat that the Romans originally had. Rosenberg was built as a summer retreat for the royal family and was used for that purpose for many years before it became open to the public. The garden also had and still does have features such as fountains, statues and gazebos. Like much of the Renaissance, these features came from the Italians. Finally, the gardens had orchards and vegetable plants that were used to feed the royal family. Today, you can still find fruit trees. Even though the garden was redesigned, many of these renaissance features remain today.

As the styles of the times began to change, the King’s garden was redesigned to reflect more of a baroque look. There was a central area where intricate paths all lead. There was also a garden maze that was a typical feature of the baroque gardens. These changes made it so that there is a juxtaposition of the old renaissance style and the baroque style of gardens.

Rosenberg has been used by both royal families and the Danish public alike and is enjoyed by all. It is a vast area where you can enjoy the gardens, statues, paths, and green areas, as well as the castle. The transition of the garden throughout its history makes it a place that can be enjoyed by the public today.

Sources and additional information:

http://www.visitcopenhagen.eu/kings-garden-copenhagen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenborg_Castle_Gardens

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosenborg_Castle

http://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenhagen/nature/top-10-gardens-parks

Photo Sources:

Hulsen, Tim, and Miaomiao Zhou. The northeast side of Rosenberg castle and Rosenberg gardens. N.d. Photograph. OurTravelPicsWeb. 16 Mar 2014. <http://www.ourtravelpics.com/photo/copenhagen/437/>.

Hulsen, Tim, and Miaomiao Zhou. The Rosenberg Castle Gardens. N.d. Photograph. OurTravelPicsWeb. 16 Mar 2014. <http://www.ourtravelpics.com/photo/copenhagen/438/>.

Hulsen, Tim, and Miaomiao Zhou. The Rosenberg Castle Gardens 2. N.d. Photograph. OurTravelPicsWeb. 16 Mar 2014. <http://www.ourtravelpics.com/photo/copenhagen/447/>.

The Italian Renaissance

The Renaissance was a time of rebirth. It was a cultural movement that saw innovation and new ways of thinking. There was a growth in the arts, philosophy, math, science and literature. It was the end of the Dark ages and the beginning of a modern way of thinking. The arts played a huge part in the Renaissance. The construction of the gardens incorporated both the classics as well as the new forward, humanist ways of thinking.

Although the Renaissance was a time of innovation and new ways of thinking, it was still a “rebirth.” The Villa d’Este is one of the best examples of a true Italian Renaissance garden. There are many elements of the villa and its gardens that truly encompass both the rebirth of the classics and the new forward thinking ideas of the humanists.

www.romanhomes.com

In the Renaissance, classic sculptures were often excavated and displayed within gardens. As the number of these ancient sculptures began to run out, artists started sculpting in ways that emulated the ancient pieces. These pieces although they were new, were also displayed in gardens as a way to look back at the classics. In the Villa d’Este you can find many statues throughout the gardens. Great examples of the ancient statues that can be found include multiple statues of Hercules. The alley of 100 fountains also portrays the ancient sculptures that Renaissance gardens had.

http://www.socialhistoryofart.com/apps/photos/photo?photoid=98773480

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mickandromey/826675680/?rb=1

Humanist, forward-looking thinking was a major part of the Italian Renaissance. This had an effect on the way gardens were thought about and therefore created. Before, gardens were small, enclosed places of paradise. During the Renaissance there was a certain liberation that transferred into the how people began to design gardens. They became much more expansive landscapes than they had been in the past. Villa d’Este once again shows the spirit of what an Italian Renaissance garden was. Villa d’Este is a massive landscape that expands out much more than gardens had in the past.

de.wikipedia.org

Villa d’Este and all the other gardens that were created during the Italian Renaissance were a way for the Europeans to not only hold on to the spirit of the classic ideas, but also incorporate their new ways of thinking.

For more information about Villa d’Este, check out this link:

http://www.villadestetivoli.info/indexe.htm

Outside Sources:

"Villa d'Este." Wikipedia. N.p., 27 Feb 2014. Web. 1 Mar 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_d'Este>.

"Giardino all'italiana." Wikipedia. N.p., 06 Jul 2013. Web. 1 Mar 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giardino_all'italiana

The Importance of Religon in European Gardens

Throughout history, people have created gardens for many reasons. Religious cultures are no different. We have looked at three cultures: Roman, Mediaeval, and Muslim. Each of these cultures has in some way connected their creation of gardens to their respective religions.

 

The Roman religion is based on worshiping their gods and goddesses. The gardens became a place for the Romans to worship and pay tribute to them. Throughout the Roman gardens you could find statues of the gods and goddesses. These allowed the people to connect with their gods while relaxing in the gardens. The Roman culture had an appreciation for otium, which meant relaxing while doing something to better yourself. The gardens became a place for them to relax while worshiping their gods or talking with others about religion.

 

In the mediaeval ages, there was a transition to Christianity. The hierarchical structure of mediaeval society put the church at the top. Across all art forms, religious art dominated. This transferred over to gardens as well. The monastic gardens were utilitarian. They were sensibly designed to allow each community to be self-sustainable. However, within the heart of the cathedrals they created cloisters. These gardens had religious meaning. Within the cloisters you could see imagery and symbolism of the Garden of Eden. For example, many of the gardens were divided into four parts representing the four rivers in the Garden of Eden. There was also tribute to the Virgin Mary in the mediaeval gardens. There were statues of Mary as well as plant symbolism. The Madonna lily, the red rose and violets were symbols for the Virgin Mary and could be found inside the gardens. The cloisters found in the cathedrals were truly a place of religion for the Christians during the mediaeval times.

The Muslin culture also incorporated their religion into the formation of their gardens. Muslims believe that when you died, you went to a paradise. There are over 120 references to garden paradises in the Quran. For Muslims, the Quran was the verbal divine guidance, the word of God meaning that they take what the Quran says very literally. On Earth they created this paradise through their gardens. Muslim gardens were often intricate with water being a very big part of it. There were often four watercourses that represented the four rivers of life. They had beautiful flowers with many colors. They truly created paradise on Earth. Muslim gardens also incorporated calligraphy that quoted pieces from the Quran, expressing even more of heaven in the gardens. All together one could see that heaven was a part life in all places for the Muslin culture.

In their own way, each culture expressed their religion through the conception of the types of gardens that they made. It was a way for them to feel connected to their respective religions in a place other than temples, churches or mosques.

For more information on gardens and religion throughout Europe’s history, check out this link: http://project.eghn.org/downloads/EGHN_Story%20of%20gardens

Photograph Sources:

Griffin, Kylie. 2010. Photograph. Kylie Griffin's BlogWeb. 23 Feb 2014. <http://kyliegriffinromance.blogspot.dk/2010/06/italy-trip-part-4.html>.

Queen Eleanor's Garden. N.d. Photograph. The Great HallWeb. 23 Feb 2014. <http://www3.hants.gov.uk/greathall/queen-eleanors-garden.htm>.

N.d. Photograph. North South GuidesWeb. 23 Feb 2014. <http://www.northsouthguides.com/>.