History of the Palace of Versailles Cotte and his team of decorative designers. There were also some modifications in the "appartement du roi", namely the construction of the "Salon de l’Œil de Bœuf" and the King's Bedchamber. With the completion of the chapel in 1710, virtually all construction at Versailles ceased; building would not be resumed at Versailles until some twenty one years later during the reign of Louis XV. After the death of the Louis XIV in 1715, the five-year-old king Louis XV, the court, and the "Régence" government of Philippe d’Orléans returned to Paris. In May 1717, during his visit to France, the Russian
History of the Palace of Versailles Nolhac produced a new awareness of the castle. Members of high society and nobility, such as the Duke of Aumale and the Empress Eugenie flocked to see new developments. Nolhac also working to bring in foreign personalities. On 8 October 1896, Czar Nicolas II and his wife Alexandra, arrived at Versailles. Nolhac also organized events aimed at raising the awareness of potential donors to the palace. The owner of the "New York Herald", Gordon Bennett, gave 25,000 francs for restructuring the 18th-century rooms. The development of private donations led to the creation of the Friends of Versailles in June 1907.