Questions on the project

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Who made the decorative canvas at the Royal Chapel site?

The monumental canvas that covers the scaffolding surrounding the Chapel was created by the artist Pierre Delavie and installed with the collaboration of JC Decaux.

Is it possible to become a patron of the Royal Chapel of Versailles?

Whether you are a company, a foundation or a private individual, everyone can support this major project and become a patron of the Royal Chapel of the Palace of Versailles. The patronage campaign called “Adopt a statue from the Royal Chapel” provides a way for everyone to participate, whatever their budget.

More information on patronage at the Palace of Versailles.

Who are the patrons of this project?

The primary patron for this project is Fondation Philanthropia, which is aiming to assemble additional patrons. Saint-Gobain and Dior have already joined up.

What effect will the work have on visitor access?

There is no impact on visitor access. For all information on access, see here.

What restoration methods are being used?

The restoration project was designed in accordance with the principle of restoring to the oldest known historic condition, the reference in this case being the state of the building in 1789. Some highly qualified companies are working on this restoration, sometimes using traditional methods, and sometimes relying on cutting edge techniques to ensure the best restoration compromises.

What are the different stages of the project?

The stages are as follows: assembly of the scaffolding and the temporary umbrella roof, removal of the existing roof, restoration and consolidation of the roof timbers, restoration of all the stonework, restoration of the window openings in the attic level, restoration of all the lead elements and the gilding.

For further information, see here.

Will the Chapel be regilded?

Yes. As an extension of the work being carried out in the Marble Courtyard, the metal window frames and the lead decorations on the roof will once again have the gilded finish for which they were well known during the Ancien Régime.

Will the roof lantern be returned to its place?

The lantern will not be returned. It was removed in 1765.

The only significant change that the Royal Chapel has suffered was the loss of its roof lantern. This occurred shortly after the building was completed and was mainly due to technical reasons (problems with the watertightness of the structure and its fragility), as well as for economic reasons.

Who is in charge of carrying out the work?

The contracting authority is the Etablissement public du château, du musée et du domaine national de Versailles. The project manager is Frédéric Didier, Chief Architect for Historic Monuments. A monitoring committee has been set up.

What are the aims of the restoration?

First of all, urgent restoration work lasting 36 months will be carried out on the roof (timber frame, slates, lead ornaments and gilding) as well as the facings, statues and stained glass. A second stage of additional restoration work is planned to follow this.

For further information, see here.

Why is the restoration of the Royal Chapel necessary?

A preliminary study by a multidisciplinary team revealed serious structural stability problems that had caused cracks in the supporting masonry, as well as major leaks that had led to advanced decay in the roof timbers.

For further information, see here.

When is the restoration due to be completed?

The restoration should be completed by summer 2020.

Is it possible to see some or all of the work being carried out?

It is not possible to visit the work, but it can be followed live on the dedicated Website. You can also see the Royal Chapel when you visit the Palace of Versailles.

The Chapel in a few figures

The Royal Chapel measures 40 metres in height, 42 metres in length and 24 metres in width. It has 5,800 m² of facade, 28 statues on the exterior balustrade at roof level, 12 gargoyles, 26 torches, 68 pilaster capitals, 14 cherubin heads and 46 apertures.

Find out more about the Chapel on this page.

What is the history of the Royal Chapel of Versailles?

The Royal Chapel was built between 1687 and 1710. It was Louis XIV’s last major project at the Palace of Versailles and is considered to be his spiritual legacy. Today, concerts and mass are held here.

Find out more about it on the dedicated page.

How can I follow the project live?

You can follow the project live on the pages covering the restoration of the Chapel and via various commentators publishing live from the site.

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Individuals, companies, foundations, help the Palace of Versailles to shine worldwide. From just five euros, anyone can contribute to a patronage project and be part of the history of Versailles.

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