This beautiful floor has an amazing history and is quite famous. Versailles was originally the site of a hunting lodge built for King Louis XIII of France. However, his successor Louis XIV envisioned something much grander. So, during his reign, he  set out  to transform the hunting lodge into what became probably the grandest and most opulent palace in Europe. The project began in 1661 and was largely completed by 1688. It is estimated that some 40,000 workmen were involved. The principal architect was Louis le Vau, later succeeded by Jules Hardouin Mansart. The interior decoration, including the magnificent Hall of Mirrors, was the work of Charles le Brun and the famous formal gardens were laid out by Andre le Notre. Although Louis’ dream of a palace symbolizing French wealth and power which would be the envy of the rest of Europe was realized, Versailles came to epitomize the frivolity and excess of the monarchy and aristocracy in the eyes of the French people, feelings which culminated in the mob marching on the palace at the outset of the Revolution in 1789.