when was the palace of versailles built

The Palace of Versailles did not appear overnight; it evolved over decades into the vast royal residence we know today. The core answer depends on what you mean by “built”:

• In 1623, Louis XIII had a small hunting lodge built at Versailles, which is the origin of the site.

• Between 1631 and 1634, that lodge was rebuilt into a more substantial country residence, forming the first real basis of the future palace.

• From 1661, Louis XIV began transforming and massively enlarging this residence into a grand palace, with major building campaigns running through the late 17th century.

• By around 1710–1715, the main palace complex as we recognize it today was largely complete, just before or by the time of Louis XIV’s death in 1715.

So, if you want a single, simple date: the site began in 1623, and the Palace of Versailles in its grand form was mainly built between 1661 and about 1715.