Petit Trianon, Neoclassical pleasure house in Versailles, France
The Petit Trianon is a neoclassical pleasure house in Versailles, France, with four distinct facades, the west side displaying Corinthian columns and terraces descending toward the garden. The first floor reception rooms open directly to the outdoor spaces, while the private apartments overlook the English Gardens and the Love Monument.
Louis XV commissioned architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel to build this residence in 1762, which was later presented to Marie Antoinette by Louis XVI in 1774. The building was designed as a private retreat away from court etiquette and remained a place of personal freedom until the Revolution.
The interior spaces display plant motifs and floral patterns throughout, reflecting the close relationship between the building and its gardens. This design choice expresses a personal preference for natural forms that runs through all the living areas.
The ground floor reception rooms offer direct access to the gardens and work well for visitors who want to move between indoor and outdoor spaces. The upper floors with private apartments require stair climbing but provide views over the designed landscapes around.
The dining room contains plans for a mechanical table system in its foundation that was meant to lift meals from the kitchen below. The mechanism was never fully installed, though the structural preparations for it remain visible.
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