Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles, built for Louis XIV beginning in 1661, was the seat of the French royal family and French government until the French Revolution in 1789. With 2,300 rooms, 1,800 fountains, 800 hectares of grounds, and the Hall of Mirrors stretching 73 metres, it was designed to awe visiting dignitaries into submission. It employed 36,000 workers during peak construction and consumed a significant percentage of France's entire national budget.