Best Answer: Why was it built? In the 17th century, Louis XIV of France was famous for his power and wealth. He was the most important monarch in Europe.The palace that was built for him at Versailles, outside Paris, became the model for palaces throughout the continent.It took forty-seven years to build and was renowned for it extreme grandeur.Great crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, their candlelight reflected in gilded mirrors.hat was it? Versailles was the residence of the royalty of France from 1682 until 1789, when the French Revolution began. Louis XIII had originally built a hunting lodge at the village outside Paris in 1624. This petite structure became the foundation of the most costly and beautiful buildings in the modern world.