History of the Palace of Versailles History of the Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles is a royal château in Versailles, in the Île-de-France region of France. When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a suburb of Paris, some 20 kilometres southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution. Versailles is therefore famous not only as a building, but as
King Narai's Palace King Narai's Palace The King Narai's Palace (; ) in Lopburi was built by King Narai the Great, the king who ruled Ayutthaya from 1656 to 1688. He ordered the palace built in 1666 in the same area as King Ramesuan's Palace. King Narai stayed here for about 8–9 months a year, except during the rainy season. He designated Lopburi as the second capital of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The palace was a place for relaxation, hunting, administering the country's affairs, and welcoming official visitors. When the king died in 1688, Lopburi and the palace were abandoned. King Mongkut (Rama IV)