凡尔赛宫将开设酒店对外开放
More than seven million people visit the opulent gilded masterpiece each year, but that hasn't kept the state-owned castle from falling victim to under-funding. In an attempt to raise revenue, the government has announced that the estate will now open its doors - as a hotel.
凡尔赛宫归国家所有，每年吸引逾七百万游客前来观光，尽管如此，这座金碧辉煌的宫殿仍面临资金短缺的困境。为增加收入，政府日前宣布，凡尔赛宫将开设酒店对外开放。
Currently, the iconic palace, which is home to the stunning Hall of Mirrors, is taking bids from private companies interested in setting up shop.
The hotel will be housed in three 17th-century mansions, which are located about 100 yards from the main building. While you won't be able to stay in the sprawling castle itself, some of the rooms will have a view of the architectural marvel L'Orangerie, which was used to house Louis XIV's 3,000 orange trees during the winter months.
'There will be no other hotel in the world like this one,' said a palace spokesman, according to The Telegraph. 'This is an emblem of French history and a cultural landmark. It will be an authentically royal experience.'
The sprawling estate, that was erected in a rural location but now forms part of a wealthy suburb of Paris, was famously the home of Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682 until the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. As such, the castle is infamous for not only its stunning grandeur but also as a symbol of the country's Ancien Regime and its absolute monarchy.
State funding for the palace has been cut from €47.4 million in 2013 to €40.5 million this year.
The successful bidder of the Hotel de l'Orangerie, as it has tentatively been named, will be given a 60-year licence to operate it and will be required to pay a portion of the profits to the palace.
The mansions are currently empty, as they have been for the past several years, and will need to be renovated before opening. A spokesman has reportedly estimated the cost to be up to £10 million.