This quiz looks closely at the history, design, and court life of the Palace of Versailles, the ultimate symbol of the French absolute monarchy.
You will see questions about its expansive gardens, the Hall of Mirrors, treaties signed there, and the historic events that changed its final fate.
After completing it, you can explore other stories about castles and palaces, discover famous buildings, or read about historic places around the world.
In which town near Paris is the famous Sun King’s palace located?
Paris
Paris
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Versailles
Versailles
What is the most famous gallery at the Palace of Versailles, featuring 357 mirrors?
Hall of Mirrors
Hall of Mirrors
Grand Trianon
Grand Trianon
Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
Hercules Room
Hercules Room
Which Greek god was Louis XIV most closely associated with as an emblem of his reign?
Apollo
Apollo
Hercules
Hercules
Mars
Mars
Jupiter
Jupiter
Who was the primary landscape architect responsible for the vast formal gardens of Versailles?
André Le Nôtre
André Le Nôtre
Charles Le Brun
Charles Le Brun
Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Louis Le Vau
Louis Le Vau
Which major 20th-century conflict officially ended with the signing of a treaty in the Hall of Mirrors?
World War I
World War I
French Revolution
French Revolution
Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
During which century did Louis XIV transform his father’s hunting lodge into the magnificent palace we recognize today?
17th century
17th century
19th century
19th century
18th century
18th century
16th century
16th century
The luxury of which official’s estate famously provoked Louis XIV to commission Versailles?
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Cardinal Mazarin
Cardinal Mazarin
The Marquis de Vauban
The Marquis de Vauban
Nicolas Fouquet
Nicolas Fouquet
What is the Petit Trianon, located on the grounds of Versailles, best known for?
The king’s library
The king’s library
A military barracks
A military barracks
Queen Marie-Antoinette’s private retreat
Queen Marie-Antoinette’s private retreat
A royal guest house for foreign monarchs
A royal guest house for foreign monarchs
Which feature of the original gardens by André Le Nôtre was removed by Louis XVI because it had become too difficult to maintain?
Topiary hedges
Topiary hedges
Fountains
Fountains
Orangeries
Orangeries
Maze garden
Maze garden
Who was the principal artist responsible for the painted ceiling decorations in the Hall of Mirrors?
Nicolas Poussin
Nicolas Poussin
Hyacinthe Rigaud
Hyacinthe Rigaud
Pierre Mignard
Pierre Mignard
Charles Le Brun
Charles Le Brun
Approximately how many people—including nobles, servants, and guards—lived directly within the Palace of Versailles itself at the height of Louis XIV’s court?
7,000
7,000
3,000
3,000
5,000
5,000
9,000
9,000
The Treaty of Rastatt, which helped settle part of which major conflict, was negotiated while the royal court was based at Versailles?
French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
War of the League of Augsburg
War of the League of Augsburg
Seven Years’ War
Seven Years’ War
Which daily ritual of the French court served to reinforce hierarchy and loyalty among the nobility?
The royal hunt
The royal hunt
The King’s bedchamber ceremony
The King’s bedchamber ceremony
The presentation of ambassadors
The presentation of ambassadors
The daily Mass in the chapel
The daily Mass in the chapel
What is the name of the central, oldest courtyard of the palace, around which the original hunting lodge of Louis XIII was built?
Royal Courtyard
Royal Courtyard
Marble Courtyard
Marble Courtyard
Ministers’ Courtyard
Ministers’ Courtyard
Courtyard of Honour
Courtyard of Honour
Which fountain in the gardens represents episodes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses regarding a goddess and the Lycian peasants?
Neptune Fountain
Neptune Fountain
Dragon Fountain
Dragon Fountain
Apollo Fountain
Apollo Fountain
Latona Fountain
Latona Fountain
Which room directly connects to the Hall of Mirrors and was designed to celebrate the monarch’s role as a diplomatic mediator?
The Peace Room
The Peace Room
The King’s Cabinet
The King’s Cabinet
The Hercules Salon
The Hercules Salon
The War Room
The War Room
Which specific event in 1789 forced the royal family to leave Versailles and return to Paris?
1789 Women’s March
1789 Women’s March
1792 Storming of the Tuileries
1792 Storming of the Tuileries
1785 Treaty of Paris
1785 Treaty of Paris
1793 Execution of Louis XVI
1793 Execution of Louis XVI
In which year did Louis XIV officially move the seat of the French government and court to Versailles?
1690
1690
1678
1678
1686
1686
1682
1682
Approximately how large are the current gardens and parkland of the Versailles estate?
1,800 acres
1,800 acres
1,500 acres
1,500 acres
2,300 acres
2,300 acres
2,000 acres
2,000 acres
Which massive water feature in the gardens was used for naval displays and royal recreational boating?
Royal Stables
Royal Stables
Water Tower
Water Tower
Orangery
Orangery
Grand Canal
Grand Canal
Who completed the design of the Hall of Mirrors after the death of the previous chief architect?
Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Jules Hardouin-Mansart
Louis Le Vau
Louis Le Vau
Robert de Cotte
Robert de Cotte
Ange-Jacques Gabriel
Ange-Jacques Gabriel
In 1871, Wilhelm I was proclaimed Emperor of which nation inside the Hall of Mirrors?
Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
Austrian Empire
Austrian Empire
Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
German Empire
German Empire
You can do better
Not bad
Great!
If you liked this, try our quizzes on architects, outstanding UNESCO architecture, or see our artistic masterpieces.
