Bassin d’Apollo
The Gardens of Versailles is one of the finest examples of French gardens in the world. Louis XIV did not spare anything to make this grand garden. It stretches as far as the eye can see, and just thinking about exploring this huge place is quite daunting. The gardens, while not as popular as the chateau, is still pleasantly filled with people. It is as if one were walking in a public park. It is mind-boggling to know that this used to be the personal property of the king. The garden was continuously expanded to it current size and together with the cheateau, makes the Palace of Versailles one of the largest palaces in the world.
Closer Look at the Fountain at the Bassin d’Apollo
The Bassin d’Apollo is one of the first major bodies of water that we encountered. This place used to be called the Pond of Swans but was again enlarged to its current size. This was then renamed to Bassin d’Apollo after the the Greek god Apollo, the god of the sun. It is thought to be fitting since Louis XIV is nicknamed the Sun King. There is a sculpture of Apollo on a chariot with four horses rising from the water. In the middle of it all, there is a fountain. It was too far away to see the details of the sculpture, or rather the pond was too big for us to see it. It is a bit of a shame not to see the details but then again, this is all part of the plan of the French king to impress visitors.
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