The interior of the palace was fitted up with great cost by Louis XIV. After the first French revolution. the building was neg lected. Louis Philippe completely restored the palace, and converted it into a national museum, or gallery of paintings and other monu ments illustrative of different portions of the history of France, which was opened to the public on the occasion of the marriage of his son, the Duke of Orleans (June 10, 1837). Adjacent to the north wing of the palace, on the town aide, is the chapel, which is remarkable for the beauty of its exterior, for its interior decorations, and for its many historical associations. The palace-chapel, the last work of Mansard, was built in the interval of 1699-1710. The theatre of Versailles, called Salle-de-l'Opera, has a beautiful interior. It was commenced iu 1753, and opened in 1770, on the occasion of the marriage of Louis XVI. It was used in his reign for court-balls, on which occasion the pit was covered by a floor on a level with the stage. It was fitted up in this way for an entertainment given by the king's body-guard to the officers of the regiment of Flanders when it was surprised by the revolutionists ; and iu this state it remained till Louis Philippe had it repaired and re-opened for dramatic representations, June 10, 1S37. In 1855 it was distinguished by magnificent fates in honour of the visit of Queen Victoria to the emperor Napoleon III.
In the park of Versailles are the two royal seats of the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon, with their respective gardens. The Grand Trianon was built by Louis XIV.; the Petit Trims= by Louis XV. The English garden,' which is the great attraction of the Petit Trianon, was formed by the orders of Marie Antoinette. In the Place-d'Armee, opposite to the town-front of the palace, are the two ranges of stables, buildings of great extent, occupying respectively the spaces between the Avenue of Paris and the converging avenues of St. Cloud and Sceaux. There are near the palace various other build
ings, as the Grand Commun, which had a thousand sleeping-rooms, and could lodge two thousand persons. To the south-east and south of the palace are the kitchen-garden and a very large piece of water. The former mansions of the master of the king's household, and of the chief huntsman, are now converted respectively into the town-hall and the courts of law ; the former Garde-Meuble is now the prefect's office. The Tennis-court, famous for the oath taken in it by the National Assembly (June 20,1789), was used as a studio by Horace Vernet, who executed here all of his paintings that adorn the collection in the palace. Besides these and other buildings connected with the court or the government offices, Versailles has two churches, namely, the cathedral of St. Louis and the church of Notre-Dame. There is also a beautiful chapel attached to the royal college, and there is a parish church in the suburb of Montreuil. The general hospital is one of the finest in France. Versailles has also an ecclesiastical school, n primary normal school, a public library of 42,000 volumes, a museum, n free-school for drawing, an agricultural society, a theatre, baths, several barracks, and a prison.
Versailles has a good corn-market, manufactures of fire-arms, files, clocks and watches, jewellery, cotton-yarn, net, pasteboard, hats, hosiery, wax-candles, earthenware, and glass. There are breweries and tan-yards, and a number of nursery-grounds. A small garrison is kept in Versailles.
Versailles gives title to a bishop, whose diocese is the department of Seine-et-Oise. At Versailles were born Philip V., king of Spain ; Louis XVI., Louis XVII., Louis XVIII., and Charles X., kings of France, Marshal Berthicr, and General Roche. Blfieher plundered the town in 1815.