Palace of Versailles

I am a very big house, not far from a city called Paris. My walls and gates sparkle with gold, like sunshine. Inside, my hallways glitter with thousands of mirrors. When you walk through my gardens, you can hear fountains splashing and see flowers of every color. I am the Palace of Versailles.

_A Golden, Sparkling House_
A long, long time ago, around the year 1623, I was just a small, cozy house where a king named Louis XIII liked to rest. But his son, a king named Louis XIV, had a big dream for me. Starting in the year 1661, he asked many clever people to make me bigger and more beautiful. They built hundreds of rooms and a special, super shiny room called the Hall of Mirrors. They also planted my giant gardens, with paths for walking and fountains that dance with water. King Louis XIV, who was called the Sun King, wanted me to be the most wonderful palace in the world.

_From a Small Lodge to a Grand Palace_
For many years, I was filled with music, dancing, and kings and queens in fancy clothes. After a long time, in the year 1837, I became a museum. That means I opened my golden gates for everyone. Today, families and friends from all over the world come to visit me. They walk through my sparkly rooms, play in my big gardens, and imagine all the happy stories I hold. I love sharing my beauty and wonder with you.