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"Groups and Standings "

"The Gothic loftiness of Notre-Dame dominates the Seine and the Ile-de-la-Cité as well as the history of Paris. On the spot where this majestic cathedral now stands, the Romans had built a temple to Jupiter, which was followed by a Christian basilica and then a Romanesque church (the Cathedral of St. Etienne, founded by Childebert in 528)."

"Brief History The town of Versailles sits about 20 kilometers outside of Paris. The first mention of the town and estate was in 1038, when the name appeared in a charter of the Abbey of Saint-Père de Chartres. By the end of the 11th century, Versailles was a country village Statue of Louis XIV at Versailles Statue of Louis XIV enveloping a castle and the church of Saint-Julien, remaining prosperous until well into the 13th century. After the Hundred Years War, however, only a handful of people lived there. Royal Presence In the 16th century, the Gondi family became the rulers of Versailles and the town began to gain acclaim when future King Louis XIII visited and became enamored with the site. He purchased land in the area and proceeded to build a small brick and stone lodge there in 1622. Ten years later, he became the lord of Versailles and began enlarging his lodge. Soon, he purchased more land as well as Gondi's estate. Louis XIII dies in 1643. The Sun King In 1662, the new king - Louis XIV - took an earnest interest in Versailles. Louis XIV, also known as The Sun King, distrusted the Parisians and wanted to move his Royal Residence away from the Louvre Palace, which was at the heart of constant political turbulence. The Sun King was largely responsible for the expansion that resulted in the building that still stands today. He hired architect Louis Le Vau along with artist Versailles Royal Chapel Royal Chapel Charles Le Brun to carry out the work on this Baroque masterpiece, which became the quintessential model for all palaces in Europe. Famed gardener André le Nôtre was responsible for the unequalled Versailles Garden. After Le Vau's death, Jules Hardouin- Mansart was commissioned to triple the size of the palace. Under his watchful eye, the northern and southern wings, the Orangerie, the Grand Trianon (a chateau) and the Royal Chapel were constructed. Later additions included the Opera and the Petit Trianon (a small chateau), which was built bet