Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versailles

The Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) is an iconic architectural feature within the Palace of Versailles, situated approximately 20 kilometers southwest of Paris. Constructed between 1678 and 1684, the hall served as a majestic symbol of the absolute power of the Bourbon monarchy. Designed by architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart with the decorative arts led by Charles Le Brun, the Hall of Mirrors measures 73 meters in length, 10.5 meters in width, and 12.3 meters in height. It contains 357 mirrors arranged opposite 17 arched windows that showcase the gardens of Versailles.

By the time of the French Revolution, the Palace of Versailles, including the Hall of Mirrors, remained a powerful emblem of the monarchy's excess and the widening gulf between the ruling elite and the general populace. On 5 October 1789, during the March on Versailles, thousands of Parisians (mostly women) descended on the palace, driven by a growing dissatisfaction with food shortages and economic hardship. The event marked one of the early confrontations that pressured King Louis XVI to return to Paris, effectively reducing his control over the nation. While the Hall of Mirrors was not a focal point of the march, it remained a potent symbol of the ancien régime (the old order).

The Hall of Mirrors saw significant use both politically and diplomatically, particularly during the Revolution. On 20 June 1789, the Tennis Court Oath (a pledge made by members of the Third Estate to not disband until a new constitution was established) signified a critical moment in the early Revolution, although it occurred outside the Hall of Mirrors. The hall itself did not host any of the critical assemblies or events of the Revolutionary period. Nonetheless, its grandeur and association with monarchical power continued to serve as a reminder of the system that revolutionaries sought to dismantle.

In later years, the Hall of Mirrors became a site of immense historical importance beyond the Revolution. Famously, it was in this hall that the Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919, officially ending World War I. This event re-contextualized the space from a symbol of monarchical opulence to a place of international significance.

During the French Revolution, the use of Versailles, including the Hall of Mirrors, drastically shifted. After the fall of the monarchy, the palace was converted into the Museum of the History of France by King Louis-Philippe in 1837. The Hall of Mirrors, untethered from its associations with royal extravagance, became a place where the French people could reflect (in more than one sense) on their tumultuous journey from absolute monarchy to the Republic.

• The Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) in the Palace of Versailles was built between 1678 and 1684, reflecting the extravagance of the French monarchy, which became a point of disdain among revolutionaries.
• Ironically, it was in the Hall of Mirrors that the Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919, marking the end of World War I; this building, once a symbol of royal excess, was thus repurposed for a new era of democratic ideals.
• During the early stages of the French Revolution, the Hall of Mirrors became a gathering place for the National Assembly, where the members swore the Tennis Court Oath on 20 June 1789, promising to create a constitution for France.
• The hall features 357 mirrors, which represented the wealth and power of France; the glass used was imported from the Venetian Republic, emphasizing the extent to which the French monarchy was influenced by foreign cultures even as it sought to assert its own dominance.
• The opulent decorations of the Hall of Mirrors, including vast chandeliers and intricate frescoes, ultimately stoked anger among the revolutionaries, highlighting the stark contrast between the lives of the privileged elite and the common French citizens struggling for basic rights.