The Palace of Versailles was built with almost no bathrooms for its thousands of residents.

The Palace of Versailles, transformed by Louis XIV starting in 1661, was designed for grandeur rather than hygiene. By the 18th century, the palace housed approximately 3,000 to 10,000 people at any given time, including the royal family, courtiers, and servants. Despite this massive population, the architectural plans did not include fixed latrines or a comprehensive sewage system.Historians like Tony Spawforth have documented that the palace relied on 'chaises percées' or commode chairs. These were essentially chairs with a hole and a removable basin underneath. While the King had a dedicated staff to manage his private facilities, the majority of the aristocracy had to share communal pots or find quiet corners in the vast corridors and staircases.The lack of sanitation led to severe hygiene issues and a pervasive smell that visitors frequently noted in their journals. In 1764, a visitor named Horace Walpole commented on the 'stink' of the palace. To mitigate the scent of human waste, the King famously filled the Grand Trianon and the Hall of Mirrors with heavy perfumes and rows of orange trees in silver tubs.It was not until the reign of Louis XV and Louis XVI that more sophisticated 'cabinets d'aisances' or water closets were installed for the high-ranking royals. Even then, these early flushing systems were rare and often malfunctioned. The palace's sanitation problems remained a significant issue until the French Revolution in 1789 forced the royal family to abandon the residence forever.