Editing Palace of Versailles (section)

=== 19th century – history museum and government venue ===
[[File:Antechamber of the Emperor at Grand Trianon 001.jpg|thumb|The Lords' Antechamber at [[Grand Trianon]]]]
[[File:L'Opéra-visite de la reine Victoria 1855.jpg|thumb|right|Banquet for Queen Victoria hosted by [[Napoleon III]] in the [[Royal Opera of Versailles]], August 1855 by [[Eugene Lami]]]] 
[[File:A v Werner - Kaiserproklamation am 18 Januar 1871 (3. Fassung 1885).jpg|thumb|right|''Proclamation of the [[German Empire]], 18 January 1871'', 1877 by [[Anton von Werner]]]]

When [[Napoleon]] became Emperor of the French in 1804, he considered making Versailles his residence but abandoned the idea because of the cost of the renovation. Prior to his marriage with [[Marie-Louise of Austria|Marie-Louise]] in 1810, he had the [[Grand Trianon]] restored and refurnished as a springtime residence for himself and his family, in the style of furnishing that it is seen today.{{Sfn|Lacaille|2012|page=19}}

In 1815, with the final downfall of Napoleon, [[Louis XVIII]], the younger brother of Louis XVI, became king, and considered returning the royal residence to Versailles, where he had been born. He ordered the restoration of the royal apartments, but the task and cost was too great. Louis XVIII had the far end of the south wing of the ''Cour Royale'' demolished and rebuilt (1814–1824) to match the Gabriel wing of 1780 opposite, which gave greater uniformity of appearance to the front entrance.{{sfn|Spawforth|2008|p=244}} Neither he nor his successor [[Charles X of France|Charles X]] lived at Versailles.{{Sfn|Lacaille|2012|page=19}}

The [[French Revolution of 1830]] brought a new monarch, [[Louis Philippe I|Louis-Philippe]] to power, and a new ambition for Versailles. He did not reside at Versailles but began the creation of the [[Musée de l'Histoire de France (Versailles)|Museum of the History of France]], dedicated to "all the glories of France", which had been used to house some members of the royal family. The museum was begun in 1833 and inaugurated on 30 June 1837. Its most famous room is the [[Galerie des Batailles]] (Hall of Battles), which lies on most of the length of the second floor of the south wing.{{sfn|Hoog|1996|pp=369–374}} The museum project largely came to a halt when Louis Philippe was overthrown in 1848, though the paintings of French heroes and great battles still remain in the south wing.

Emperor [[Napoleon III]] used the palace on occasion as a stage for grand ceremonies. One of the most lavish was the banquet that he hosted for [[Queen Victoria]] in the [[Royal Opera of Versailles]] on 25 August 1855.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/key-dates/visit-queen-victoria-1855|title=Visit of Queen Victoria, 1855|date=22 November 2016|website=Palace of Versailles}}</ref>

During the [[Franco-Prussian War]] of 1870–1871, the palace was occupied by the [[German General Staff|general staff]] of the victorious German Army. Parts of the château, including the Hall of Mirrors, were turned into a military hospital. The creation of the [[German Empire]], combining [[Prussia]] and the surrounding German states under [[William I, German Emperor|William I]], was formally [[Proclamation of the German Empire|proclaimed in the Hall of Mirrors]] on 18 January 1871. The Germans remained in the palace until the signing of the armistice in March 1871. In that month, the government of the new [[Third French Republic]], which had departed Paris during the war for [[Tours]] and then [[Bordeaux]], moved into the palace. The [[National Assembly (France)|National Assembly]] held its meetings in the Opera House.{{Sfn|Lacaille|2012|page=12}}

The uprising of the [[Paris Commune]] in March 1871, prevented the French government, under [[Adolphe Thiers]], from returning immediately to Paris. The military operation which suppressed the Commune at the end of May was directed from Versailles, and the prisoners of the Commune were marched there and put on trial in military courts. In 1875 a second parliamentary body, the [[French Senate]], was created and held its meetings for the election of a President of the Republic in a new hall created in 1876 in the south wing of the palace. The French Senate and National Assembly continue to meet in the palace in [[Congress of the French Parliament|joint session]] on special occasions, such as the amendment of the [[Constitution of France]].{{Sfn|Lacaille|2012|page=20}}