Versailles is a city on the western edge of the French capital city Paris, now part of the sprawling metropolis within the Ile de France region. It is one of the wealthiest cities near Paris, only 14 miles away.  The oldest quarter of the town, Satory, contains the cathedral of Saint-Louis, while the new quarter, Le Chesnay, in the north, is the site of the church of Notre-Dame.  

Versailles is best known for being the site of the vast royal palace and gardens known as Palace of Versailles.  The gardens, the masterpiece of André Le Nôtre, have become part of the national heritage of France and one of the most-visited historical sites in Europe  The Palace of Versailles (aka the Château de Versailles) which now serves as a popular tourist attraction and as a residence for visiting heads of state, had its beginnings as Louis XIII's old hunting pavilion and was transformed and extended by his son, Louis XIV, when he installed the Court and government there in 1682. A succession of kings continued to embellish the Palace up until the French Revolution. 

It has been the scene for several historic events, not the least of which was the signing of the Peace Treaty in 1919 between defeated Germany and the Allies that brought the First World War formally to an end.  

In 1789, the French Revolution forced Louis XVI to leave Versailles for Paris. The Palace would never again be a royal residence and transformed from the seat of power to the Museum of the History of France in 1837.  The Palace of Versailles has been listed as a World Heritage Site for 30 years and is one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century art.  

Today the Palace contains 2,300 rooms spread over 63,154 square meters.