The Labyrinth of Versailles: a park decorated with characters from Aesop's fables

In the XVII–XVIII centuries. on the territory of the Park of Versailles there was a labyrinth decorated with fountains and sculptures that depicted scenes from Aesop's fables. The Labyrinth of Versailles was designed in 1665 by landscape architect André Le Nôtre and redesigned in 1669, when the poet and author of fairy tales Charles Perrault proposed adding 39 fountains, each representing one of Aesop's works. The complex was built over five years, from 1672 to 1677.

The maze was a network of alleys that, thanks to the high front gardens, easily confused visitors. Moving to one of the turns, a person came out to one of the fountains, which were supplied with water from the Seine. Being at any point of the way, you could see several fountains at once. The entrance to the Versailles Labyrinth was decorated with two statues: the figures of Aesop and Cupid holding a thread (a reference to Ariadne). The sculptures that passed along the way were made so skillfully that they seemed alive and seemed to communicate with each other. The labyrinth was loved not only by King Louis XIV, but also by the nobility who had access to the park. In 1675, Perrault published a guide with a description of the park, fables and poetry by Isaac de Benserade.

The main problem of the complex was the high cost of its maintenance. Therefore, in 1778, by order of Louis XVI, it was destroyed. Instead of a maze, they arranged an arboretum, selecting exotic plants. The only reminder of the labyrinth is the remaining details of the fountains and statues of Aesop and Cupid, which adorn the National Museum of the Castles of Versailles and Trianon.