Chapels of Versailles

The present chapel of the Palace of Versailles is the fifth in the history of the palace. These chapels evolved with the expansion of the ''château'' and formed the focal point of the daily life of the court during the Ancien Régime (Bluche, 1986, 1991; Petitfils, 1995; Solnon, 1987).

History of the chapels

First chapel

The ''château'''s first chapel dated from the time of Louis XIII, and was located in a detached pavilion at the northeast of the ''château''. Today, the ''pièce de la vaisselle d'or'' in the ''Petit appartement du roi'' occupies the approximate site of this first chapel.

It followed the two-story palatine model, which was traditional in France; successive chapels at Versailles also followed this model. This chapel was demolished in 1665 during construction of the ''Grotte de Thétys'' (Batifol, 1909, 1913; Kimball, 1944; Le Guillou, 1983, 1989; Marie, 1968; Verlet, 1985).

Second chapel

The second chapel was constructed as part of Louis XIV's second building campaign (1669–1672), when Louis Le Vau constructed the ''Château Neuf''. When the new part of the ''château'' was completed, the chapel was situated in the ''Grand appartement de la reine'' and formed the symmetrical pendant with the '' Salon de Diane'' in the '' Grand appartement du roi''. This chapel was used by the royal family and court until 1678, when time a new chapel was built, and the structure converted into the ''Salle des Gardes de la Reine'' (Félibien, 1674; Kimball, 1944; Le Guillou, 1983, 1989; Marie, 1972, 1976; Scudéry, 1669; Verlet, 1985).

Third chapel

Located next to the new ''Salle des Gardes de la Reine'', this chapel served Versailles for a short period. Soon after its construction, Louis XIV found it inconvenient and impractical for his needs as well as those of his court, which he had officially installed at Versailles in 1682. That same year, this room was converted into the ''Grande Salles des Gardes de la Reine'' (and now exists as ''la Salle du Sacre'') and a new chapel was built (Combes, 1681; Kimball, 1944; Le Guillou, 1983, 1989; Marie, 1972, 1976; Verlet, 1985).

Fourth chapel

With the construction of the ''Aile du Nord'', the north wing of the ''château'', a new chapel was built. This project necessitated the destruction of the ''Grotte de Thétys;'' it was on this site that the new chapel was built in 1682. When the fourth chapel was constructed, the ''Salon de l'Abondance'', which had served as the entry to the ''Cabinet des Médailles'' in the ''Petit appartement du roi'', was transformed into the ''Vestibule de la Chapelle'' — so named as it was from this upper level of the chapel that the king and select members of the royal family heard daily Mass. This chapel remained in use until 1710, and was witness to many of the important events of the court and royal family during the reign of Louis XIV. Today, the '' Salon d'Hercule'' and the lower vestibule occupy the space of this site (Félibien, 1703; Kimball, 1944; Le Guillou, 1983, 1989; Marie, 1972, 1976; Piganiole de la Force, 1701; Verlet, 1985).

Fifth chapel

As the focal point of Louis XIV's fourth (and last) building campaign (1699–1710), the fifth and final chapel of the ''château'' of Versailles is an unreserved masterpiece. Begun in 1689, construction was halted due to the War of the League of Augsburg; Jules Hardouin-Mansart resumed construction in 1699. Hardouin-Mansart continued working on the project until his death in 1708, at which time his brother-in-law, Robert de Cotte, finished the project (Blondel, 1752–1756; Marie, 1972, 1976; Nolhac, 1912–1913; Verlet, 1985; Walton, 1993). It was to become the largest of the royal chapels at Versailles, and the height of its vaulting alone was allowed to disturb the rather severe horizontality everywhere else apparent in the palace's roofline, leading to the design being disparaged by some contemporaries; the duc de Saint-Simon characterized it as an "enormous catafalque". Nevertheless, the magnificent interior has been widely admired to the present day and served as inspiration for Luigi Vanvitelli when he designed the chapel for the Palace of Caserta (Defilippis, 1968).

Dedicated to Saint Louis, patron saint of the Bourbons, the chapel was consecrated in 1710. The palatine model is of course traditional; however, the Corinthian colonnade of the tribune level is of a classic style that anticipates the neo-classicism that evolved during the 18th century, although its use here bespeaks a remarkable virtuosity. The tribune level is accessed by a vestibule, known as the ''Salon de la Chapelle'', that was built at the same time as the chapel. The ''Salon de la Chapelle'' is decorated with white stone and the bas-relief sculpture, ''Louis XIV Crossing the Rhine'' by Nicolas and Guillaume Coustou forms the focal point of the rooms décor (Nolhac, 1912–1913; Verlet, 1985; Walton, 1993).

The floor of the chapel itself is inlaid with polychromatic marble, and at the steps at the foot of the altar is the crowned monogram of an interlaced double "L", alluding to Saint Louis and Louis XIV (Nolhac, 1912–1913; Verlet, 1985; Walton, 1993). The sculptural and painted decoration shows both Old Testament and New Testament themes (Lighthart, 1997; Nolhac, 1912–1913; Sabatier, 1999; Verlet, 1985; Walton, 1993). The ceiling of the nave represents ''God the Father in His Glory Bringing to the World the Promise of Redemption'' and was painted by Antoine Coypel

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