Church of the Royal Domain

The Chapelle royale, the Royal Chapel, is the church of the Palace of Versailles, and the Church of the Royal Domain is best understood as the religious life of the court. The chapel was the last major building of the reign of Louis XIV. It was designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the king's chief architect, and completed after his death by Robert de Cotte, with work from 1699 to 1710. The king attended Mass here every day, and the building was meant to show the sacred side of royal power, since the king ruled by divine right. It stands at the northern end of the palace, close to the Opera, and rises above the roofs of the building as a tall stone block with a slender spire.

The chapel has two levels, an arrangement that reflected the structure of the court. The king and his family sat on the upper gallery, the tribune, level with the royal apartments, and could pass directly from their rooms to the chapel, while the courtiers and the rest of the congregation followed Mass on the ground floor, in the nave. The royal tribune was surrounded by a colonnade of Corinthian columns in white stone, and the ceiling above was painted with vivid frescoes. In the vault above the altar, Antoine Coypel painted God the Father in glory, and Charles de La Fosse and Jean Jouvenet painted the Resurrection and the Descent of the Holy Spirit in the other sections. The painting seems to open the ceiling to the sky, a baroque effect, while the architecture below is restrained and classical, with pale stone, carved reliefs and gilded details.

Music was an essential part of the royal Mass, and the chapel had its own choir and orchestra, led by composers such as Michel-Richard de Lalande, who wrote grand motets for the king. The great organ, built by Robert Clicquot, was installed in 1710, and the instrument has been restored and is used again in concerts and services, so the chapel is a good venue for hearing French baroque music. The chapel also saw important events in the history of the monarchy, among them the marriage of the future Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette on 16 May 1770.

The chapel is open as part of a visit to the palace. The palace is open daily except Monday, with closures on a few days such as 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, and the gardens and Trianon estate have their own hours. Access is controlled by security checks, and large bags are not permitted. Audioguides are available in several languages and an app gives a map of the site. Plan for a full day to see the main rooms, the Hall of Mirrors, the gardens and the Trianons.

The chapel is a short walk from the Gallery of Battles and the Royal Opera, and from the Parterre d'Eau and the Grand Canal in the gardens. It suits anyone interested in royal ceremony, baroque architecture and music.