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Les grandes eaux de Marly : un spectacle unique au temps du Roi Soleil by Bruno BENTZ – Château de Bénouville
Fountains show: a unique spectacle during the Sun King’s reign
The Château de Marly was built for Louis XIV in the late 17th century near Versailles. This new residence was exclusively devoted to satisfying the pleasures of the royal court. During his stays at Marly, the king strolled through the gardens every afternoon. From 1685 to 1715, Louis XIV continuously enhanced the gardens with new ornamental topiaries and trellis archways, bronze or marble statues, with carps and gilded lead birds in tiled ponds and with fountains decorated with seashells and rockeries. However it was the spectacle offered by water that dazzled visitors. The fountains were supplied by the extraordinary Marly machine which raised a prodigious 300 inches of water for the grand fountain, the country cascade, the grand trough and, in particular, the marble river.
Bruno Bentz
Bruno Bentz is a doctor in archaeology, member of the Centre d’archéologie générale (General archaeology centre – University of Paris IV-Sorbonne). He is also director of the “Marly art et patrimoine” (Marly art and heritage) journal, published by the association Amis du Musée-Promenade de Marly le Roi – Louveciennes.
Further reading :
Les bassins de faïence du Château de Marly, Omage, 1992