#3617. versailles,france

Language, level: other
Posted Tue Jan 17 09:12:55 PST 2006 by francisco camalich (leduc75@hotmail.com).
private teacher, mexicali mexico
Materials Required: copies of reading material
Activity Time: 30 mins.
Concepts Taught: practice reading comprehension,grammar

The first owners of the lands of Versailles that we know of are the seigneur de Soisy and Martial de Lomenie.During the reign of Charles IX the property was bougth by Albert de Gondi.During his ownership he frequently invited king Henry III and the king of Navarre to hunt there.
Versailles became more popular during the reing of king Louis XIII who loved to hunt in the forests surrounding the area.In 1623 Louis XIII built a small lodge of brick and stone in order to spend the night there.
The building of the palace as we now know it was ordered by king Louis XIV,and construction of new buildings began in 1661 and at the same time the gardens were laid out by Andre Le notre.Louis le Vau was the architect.
In 1666 a great royal entertainment was given in the gardens of the new palace,and another in 1668 and both events made Versailles known throughout Europe.
Louis XIV decided to make Versailles his permanent residence,so he asked Le Vau to draw up plans for a bigger palace,in order to accomodate him and his court and ministers.
In 1683 Versailles became the official residence of the King of France and his court,and remained the center of France until the Revolution,when the King Louis XVI and his court were forced to return to Paris by the people,and the palace became vacant.
In 1830,during the reign of Louis Philippe,the palace became a museum dedicated to all the Glories of France,and thus the palace and its beautiful gardens were preserved for us.
Nowadays we can visit the palace and about 120 of its magnificent rooms,and the Historical Galleries as well as the beautiful gardens.

Answewr the following questions about the previous reading:

1)Who were the first propietors of Versailles?

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2.-When did Alber de Gondi buy Versailles?

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3.-What did Henry III do at Versailles?

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4.- When was the first hunting lodge
built ?

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5.- What made versailles famous in
Europe?

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6.- Why did Louis Xiv order a bigger palace?

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7.- Who was the last king of France to live
in Versailles?

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8>- Who transformed the palace into a
Museum?

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9.-Who designed the palace gardens?

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10.- Where is the palace of Versailles?

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