Rivera- 4

One of my favorite buildings in Europe is the Palace of Versailles. It is THE most beautiful royal palace I have ever seen. It was built in the mid-17th century by Louis XIV. He moved the royal family from Paris to this location, about 20 kilometers outside the capital, to build the most extravagant palace Europe had ever seen. He did this to assert his political power as an absolute monarchist. The entire building is gilded in gold. To me, the most impressive parts of the building are the gardens and the hall of mirrors, which overlooks the gardens. 

Walking through it, you can see why the common people of France saw their King as being out of the loop. There isn't one place on the grounds that doesn't make you feel like your royalty. It's hard to believe that people actually lived here at one point. Versailles saw the beginning of the French Revolution when the peasant women stormed the palace so it's historic value can't be ignored. One of my favorite movies is Marie Antoinette and I couldn't help but feel like I was walking in her shoes when I was there. It was an amazing experience to see this grand building and the cost that went into it.