Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the
de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789.
It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and
judicial center. Located in the western suburbs of the French capital, 17.1 km (10.6
mi) from the center of Paris, the commune of Versailles is the préfecture (administrative
seat) of the Yvelines department. According to the 2006 census, the population of
the city is 89,490 inhabitants, down from a peak of 94,145 in 1975.
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