17 April 2024 • Press release

Virtually Versailles : a next chapter in China

May 2 to October 8, 2024 in Hangzhou

The Virtually Versailles exhibition will be presented in Hangzhou, China, from May 2 to October 8, 2024, at the Winland Center. Following the success of Virtually Versailles in Macau and Hong Kong, with nearly 150,000 visitors, the Palace of Versailles is continuing to tour its immersive exhibition, enabling visitors to discover the world of Versailles through innovative technologies: augmented reality, virtual reality, connected bikes and 360° projections.

a unique immersive exhibition

The Virtually Versailles exhibition is designed as a first exploration of the Palace, enabling as many people as possible to discover its history and collections and inspire the desire for a future visit to Versailles. Each new edition features new content and a personalized scenography. This year, for the first time, a room will be entirely dedicated to Marie-Antoinette, the emblematic figure of Versailles. In addition, the Just Dance map "A Night at the Palace of Versailles" will enable visitors to dance to two modernized pieces of Baroque music.

The entire experience, divided into eight themed rooms, guarantees to immerse visitors once again in the world of Versailles, thanks to an interactive, olfactory and sound experience. They will discover the diversity and richness of the Versailles collections through virtual reality and explore some emblematic artworks in gigapixel. They'll also be able to stroll through the Palace's iconic sites thanks to augmented reality, or take a fun tour of the Versailles gardens using connected bicycles.

In 2025, the Palace of Versailles will continue the touring of the experience Virtually Versailles in new parts of the world. 

 

EXHIBITION PATH

Visitors will begin by discovering the history of diplomatic relations between France and China since the 17th century. Fun Facts about the Palace of Versailles and a Welcome area will then lead them to the exhibition entrance.
 

Introduction

As they pass through the virtual gates of the Palace, visitors will be greeted by the voice of Louis XIV, and immersed in the world of Versailles from the very first moment they enter the exhibition. Recreated by scientists from Voxygen and historians from the Palace of Versailles on the initiative of the BETC agency, this synthesized voice enables the Sun King to speak more than 300 years after his death. 
The sensory experience continues with the diffusion of a unique perfume, Royal Delight, inspired by Louis XIV's favourite flower, the orange blossom, created by master perfumer Francis Kurkdjian exclusively for the Palace of Versailles.
Virtual puzzles will give visitors a historical and iconographic overview of the great figures and events that marked the history of France from the 17th to the 20th century, while photobooths will enable them to slip into the shoes of historical figures, giving them a fun immersive experience.

Time travel

3D reconstructions will recount the construction of the Palace of Versailles and its gardens, from Louis XIII's hunting lodge in 1623 to the contemporary bosquet of the Théâtre d'Eau. Visitors will be able to appreciate the evolution, complexity and diversity of the Estate.

Nature and Versailles

This part of the exhibition allows visitors to be immersed in the gardens of Versailles, home to the world's largest outdoor sculpture museum. Using connected bicycles and screens, visitors can hop on a bike and cycle into an interactive tour of the gardens' most emblematic sites, from the Grand Perspective to the Queen's Hamlet and the gardens of the Grand Trianon.

Arts and Innovation 

A symbol of French art since the 17th century, the Palace of Versailles boasts one of France's largest collections, with almost 72,000 paintings, sculptures and artworks. In this room, visitors will discover four emblematic artistic disciplines of Versailles in an innovative way: sculpture, thanks to 3D scans of the most iconic statues in the gardens; architecture, with a virtual reality experience enabling them to stroll through the grand apartments; painting, thanks to gigapixel technology enabling visitors to discover the finest details of the artworks; and dance, with the Just Dance map "A night at the Château de Versailles".

 

Splendours of Versailles

This section, evoking the most symbolic rooms of the Palace, will offer a spectacular 360-degree view. In complete immersion, thanks to LED screens, visitors will be able to admire the Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Opera House, the Gallery of battles, the Mercury Room and the Venus Room.

Queen intimacy

In this section, the audience will discover portraits and unusual anecdotes about Marie-Antoinette, before entering one of the most intimate areas of the Trianon estate: the Théâtre de la Reine. The "Mysterious Forest", one of the sets of this small theatre reserved for the Queen and her guests, will be recreated, and a theatrical performance of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Le Devin du village will be displayed inside.

A day in Versailles

Like an invitation to visit Versailles, this last area will feature a 180° projection showing the magic of a day at the Estate. Perspectives, interior views, shows, fountains and fireworks have been filmed in ultra-high definition for this final panoramic projection.

For more information : en.chateauversailles.fr
 

An inaugural concert by the royal opera of the palace of Versailles

On 2 May 2024, the Orchestra of the Royal Opera will complete its Asian tour (15 dates in China, Vietnam and Mongolia) with the inaugural concert of Virtually Versailles at Hangzhou's Winland Center. Comprising some fifty instrumentalists and conducted by Victor Jacob, the Orchestra will perform orchestral pieces by Philidor and by Charpentier and will accompany soprano Chloé Chaume in famous airs from operas by Hector Berlioz (Les Nuits d'été and Béatrice et Bénédict) and Ambroise Thomas (Mignon) and the pianist Yves Henri in Concerto pour piano by Jules Massenet.

Contact : presse@chateauversailles-spectacles.fr

 

 

the Winland center

Winland center’s is neighboring the Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, and the thousand-year-old Xiangjisi Temple. Out of respect to the temple, the tall architecture was set back 30 meters from plot boundary, which complements the urban environment, thus creating a contrast and balance not only between modern and history, but between tradition and future.

In this sculptural modern building ensemble, there are multiple functions that include office towers, contemporary art and lifestyle retail space, gallery streets, and high-end residences, aiming to become a hub of contemporary arts and lifestyle.

Hangzhou Winland Center was honored in the 29th "THE INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY AWARDS" International Real Estate Awards in the Asia-Pacific region with awards in two categories: "Integrated  Development" and "Office Development." And it won the CREDAWARD Real Estate Design Award for Outstanding Commercial TOD Project; won the 2023 MIPIM ASIA AWARDS in the "Best Integrated Development" category; won the "2023 RIBA China Landmark 100" from the Royal Institute of British Architects.

 

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Virtually Versailles Hangzhou

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