9781541673380: Versailles

Synopsis

The vivid story of the creation, renovation, and enduring legacy of the most famous building in France: the palace of Versailles

Nothing represents the glorious and fraught history of France quite like the Palace of Versailles. Made famous by the absolutist king Louis XIV, Versailles became legendary for the splendor of its revels -- but then, after the Revolution of 1789, it fell into disrepute as a reminder of royal excess and abuse of power. Subsequent French governments struggled with how to handle the opulent palace and grounds -- should the site be memorialized, trivialized, rehabilitated, or even destroyed outright?

Drawing on a new wave of recent research, historian Colin Jones masterfully traces the evolution of Versailles as a space of royal politics and aristocratic pleasures, a building of mythic status, and one of the world's great tourist destinations. Accessible and compelling, this book is a must-read for all Francophiles.

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À propos de l'auteur

Colin Jones teaches at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Chicago. He is the author of many books on French history, including Paris: A Biography of a City.

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Autres éditions populaires du même titre

9781786693952: Versailles

Edition présentée

ISBN 10 :  178669395X ISBN 13 :  9781786693952
Editeur : Head of Zeus, 2018
Couverture rigide