Which French palace built by Louis XIV is a World Heritage Site?

The French palace built by Louis XIV that is a World Heritage Site is the Palace of Versailles.

Versailles began as a hunting lodge built for Louis XIII, but his successor, Louis XIV, transformed it into one of Europe’s grandest royal residences. Major expansion began in 1661, and the palace, gardens, and surrounding estate developed through successive building campaigns over the following decades. The complex became a statement of royal power and the center of court life.

In 1682, Louis XIV moved the French court and government to Versailles. The palace is famous for its formal gardens, immense park, Hall of Mirrors, royal apartments, and elaborate Baroque and classical design. The court remained there under Louis XV and Louis XVI until the French Revolution forced the royal family back to Paris in 1789.

UNESCO inscribed the Palace and Park of Versailles as a World Heritage Site in 1979 for their importance to French political history, art, architecture, and science. Chambord and Fontainebleau are also historic French royal residences, while the Louvre is primarily associated with its museum and earlier palace history.