Apollo's fountain : a spectacular restoration

As of 29 March, the public will rediscover Apollo’s fountain, fully restored in all its cascading glory after 18 months of comprehensive restoration work made possible thanks to the patronage of CMA CGM Group. This large-scale heritage initiative is reviving the harmony and visual synchronisation of an iconic fountain within the Gardens of Versailles. Prior to the Paris 2024 Olympic equestrian competitions, set to take place in the Park of Versailles, the Grande Perspective appears once again as envisaged by Louis XIII and Louis XIV.

AN ICONIC FOUNTAIN WITHIN THE GArDENS OF VErSAILLES

Located at the centre of the Grande Perspective at the end of the Royal Way running from the Palace to the Grand Canal, the Apollo Basin is undoubtedly one of the most renowned pools in the Gardens of Versailles. Designed by Jean-Baptiste Tuby between 1668 and 1671, early in the reign of Louis XIV, and constructed at the Manufacture des Gobelins, the basin is adorned with the sculptural group representing Apollo’s Chariot. This monumental lead sculpture comprises 13 statues and weighs some 30 tonnes. At the centre of the piece, Apollo stands on his four-horse chariot, accompanied by a cherub. Tritons mark the four cardinal points of the composition, while dolphins are perched in the spaces between them. Each sculpture adopts a unique, gushing posture, contributing to the dynamism of the work.

A COMPrEHENSIVE rESTOrATION

Designed by Jean-Baptiste Tuby between 1668 and 1671, early in the reign of Louis XIV, and constructed at the Manufacture des Gobelins, the basin is adorned with the sculptural group representing Apollo’s Chariot.

This monumental lead sculpture comprises 13 statues and weighs some 30 tonnes. At the centre of the piece, Apollo stands on his four-horse chariot, accompanied by a cherub. Tritons mark the four cardinal points of the composition, while dolphins are perched in the spaces between them. Each sculpture adopts a unique, gushing posture, contributing to the dynamism of the work.

IN FIGUrES

- 394 ft. long and 262 ft. wide (nearly 2.5 acres)
- 6.5 ft. deep
- 13 sculptures
- 35 tonnes of sculptural work
- 6,5 tonnes for Apollo alone
- 31 nozzles restored
- 35,000 sheets of gold leaf applied

2024: YEAr OF THE HOrSE AT VErSAILLES

As host of this summer’s Olympic equestrian events, all year long the Palace of Versailles will undertake to highlight the essential role horses have played in the history of Versailles and the Palace’s artistic collections. The restoration of Apollo's fountain is an initial milestone in the run-up to a major exhibition devoted to horses and equestrian civilisation in Europe, set to open on 2 July.