Half-finished buildings were
demolished and begun anew. Immense structures arose, and once again
artists flocked to Versailles. Inside the palace and in the park they
wrought an elaborate scheme of decoration that made this the most
sumptuous dwelling of the monarchy. In the words of Madame Scudery, an
annalist of that epoch, Versailles, under the new orders of the King,
became "incomparably more beautiful." Another Versailles was born; at
the same time there was created a town on the vast acres purchased by the
King, in the midst of which three great avenues were built, converging
toward the chateau. In addition to the enlargement and improvement of
the palace, the King ordered the erection of houses for the use of
Colbert, now superintendent of the royal buildings, and for the officers
of the Chancellery. From this time he interested himself particularly in
the advancement of the infant town; he bought the village of "Old
Versailles" and made liberal grants of land to individuals who agreed to
build houses there. Opposite the chateau arose the mansions of
illustrious nobles of the Court.
As the King remained obstinate in his determination that the "little
chateau" of his father should not be removed to make room for a structure
more in harmony with the surrounding ostentation, Le Vau covered over the
moats and built around the lodge of Louis XIII with imposing effect. The
new buildings containing the state apartments of the King and Queen and
public salons were separated by great courts from the insignificant
beginning of all this mounting splendor.
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