The Palace of Versailles in the Yvelines department was built in the 17th century under Louis XIV to glorify the French monarchy. It served as the main residence of Kings Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI and hosted the kings, their courts and their governments permanently from May 6, 1682 to October 6, 1789, except for the Regency years (1715-1723). The estate, which today extends over more than 800 hectares, is made up of the castle, the gardens, the park, the Petit and Grand Trianon as well as a few outbuildings in town. Ideally located between Saint-Germain-en-Laye and Paris, the Palace of Versailles was successively a hunting lodge and a place of exercise of power before becoming a museum in the 19th century. A masterpiece of classical architecture, it inspired many creations all over Europe until the 19th century.