Palace of Versailles Sculptures and Moldings Gallery opens for free

The Petite écurie du Roi at the Château de Versailles houses the sumptuous Galerie des sculptures et des moulages. Usually closed to visitors, this gallery is exceptionally opening its doors free of charge until December 31, 2020.

You thought you knew everything there was to know about the Château de Versailles, having walked the monument for years? Think again! There's always something new to discover in this immense building and its grounds... And what's new is that a part of the Château that is not normally accessible is exceptionally open to visitors. Discover the Galerie des Sculptures et des Moulages, in the Petite écurie du Roi, free of charge every weekend until December 31, 2020.

This space, designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart and built between 1679 and 1683, houses original sculptures and other marble masterpieces from the gardens of Versailles, as well as the Musée du Louvre's Gypsothèque collection of molded plaster casts. In all, over sixty original sculptures from the gardens are on display in the monumental nave of the Petite écurie. Louis XIV commissioned these works from the greatest sculptors of the day, with a view to developing the gardens of the Château. The sculptures were inspired by ancient art, the"vast iconographic repertoire" of his time.

These works have also been part of a major rescue campaign, begun in 2008, with the aim of halting the erosion process affecting them when displayed in the gardens. The sculptures include many masterpieces, such as Apollo served by the nymphs, the two groups of Horses of the Sun, Latona and her children and the King's Renown.

Since 1970, the gallery has also been home to the Gypsothèque du Louvre, part of the Department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities. This vast collection includes numerous antique prints from the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as a rich architectural collection, including a unique set of Greek and Roman orders. Among the most beautiful casts in the gallery are the corner of the Parthenon from theAcropolis in Athens, one of the Dioscuri from the Quirinal in Rome and the Farnese Hercules.

A wonderful visit, in any case, for all lovers of pomp and Versailles. Shall we go and discover these sculptures and casts, my friends?