The Hall of Mirrors in Versailles does exist, and it is true that mirrors were an extremely expensive luxury during that time. There is more to the story of the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, however.
In the 17th century, those constructing the palace wanted everything used in the construction to be a product of France. There was a problem with this desire, however, because a that time the city of Venice in Italy had a monopoly on the manufacture of mirrors; Venice made the best-quality mirrors in the world at that time.
To try and get around the problem, craftsmen from Venice were persuaded to leave Italy and move to France for the purpose of making mirrors for the new palace. Outraged and determined to keep the secret of making good-quality mirrors, the Venetian government had the craftsmen assassinated.
So, yes, mirrors were a coveted luxury item in the time of Louis XIV and nothing but luxury was put into the Palace at Versailles, but like most things in history, there is more to the story than meets the eye.
The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles is probably the most famous room of the Palace. It was initially built to replace a terrace constructed by Louis Le Vau that exposed its inhabitants to bad weather since it opened onto the elaborate gardens at Versailles.Jules Hardouin-Mansart designed the Hall of Mirrors; its construction began in 1678 and ended in 1684. Once rebuilt as a gallery, the Hall came to represent the lavish socioeconomic status of the nation of France and its ruler at the time, Louis IV. The Hall of Mirrors stood between the King's chambers to the North and the Queen's to the South.One side of the Hall of Mirrors contains a row of giant windows that look out on the gardens (almost 2000 acres of lawns, fountains, and paths). On the opposite wall, Louis IV had 357 mirrors mounted on the walls, to capture the rising of the sun and its rays, as a tribute to himself, for he referred to himself as the Sun King. This commemoration of himself was also another purpose that the Hall of Mirrors served, in addition to being used as a passageway. All that this king built was to serve as a reminder of his wealth and power.King Louis spared no expense in the construction of his palace, which includes the elaborate Hall of Mirrors. The entire palace of Versailles was gilded in gold and marble, and it is full of sculptures and works of art to commemorate Louis XIV and his reign. It is no accident that King Louis IV named himself the Sun God (“Le Roi Soleil”) and lavished his palace with all sorts of excesses. These excesses contributed to the unrest that led to the French Revolution upon its monarchy.
It is true that mirrors were an expensive luxury item in France at the time the Hall of Mirrors was constructed in the palace at Versailles. The decor is certainly a commemoration of the superior status of French economic, political, and artistic accomplishments of the era. Venice was considered to be the European center of mirror production in those days, and the fact that the mirrors at Versailles were manufactured in France was a challenge to Venice's claim of superiority in that industry.
There are over three hundred and fifty mirrors bedecking the walls in the Hall of Mirrors, and it has been the location of lavish balls and ceremonies throughout history, including the signing of the treaty that ended WWI.
Louis XIV walked through the Hall of Mirrors daily, but it seems short-sighted to say that he had it built simply because mirrors were expensive. It seems more likely that it was an opportunity to feature Parisian workmanship and create a lavish display that demonstrated French prosperity in his day.
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