"Ulysses" with Alberto Angela, the special dedicated to Versailles, March 2, 2026
A special episode of "The Last Supper" returns to prime time on Rai 1. Ulysses - The pleasure of discovery, the outreach program led by Alberto AngelaThe television journey leads the audience inside the Palace of Versailles, the symbolic heart of French monarchy. Not just a tour of the halls and gardens, but a story that delves into the daily workings of the court, its rituals, hierarchies, and political strategies.
The event offers a narrative that combines historical reconstruction and restored images, with the aim of restoring the atmosphere of the Grand Siècle and the system that revolved around the figure of the sovereign.
Life at the court of the Sun King
The episode focuses on life in Versailles during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King. The palace was not just a royal residence, but an instrument of political control. Every gesture, every ceremony, every entrance into the rooms had a precise meaning.
The story focuses on the concrete aspects of everyday life: how enormous rooms were heated, what music accompanied parties and receptions, what games enlivened the nobility's evenings. The court thrived on balls, intrigues, and rivalries, with mistresses and official mistresses who influenced personal and political balances.
Versailles emerges as a complex organizational machine, capable of transforming the physical presence of the king into a continuous spectacle.
The Hall of Mirrors restored to its former glory
One of the central moments of the special concerns the Hall of Mirrors, an absolute symbol of monarchical magnificence. Thanks to the restoration of the tapestries and furnishings, the room is shown in its original dimension, as it appeared to courtiers at the height of the Ancien Régime.
The program highlights architectural and decorative details that convey the desire to represent power through light, reflections, and monumental proportions. The Gallery thus becomes not only a scenic space, but a place where the image of absolute authority was consolidated.
From the monarchy to the national museum
The episode also follows the transformation of Versailles after the end of the monarchy. With the advent of Louis Philippe, the palace is reinterpreted as a museum dedicated to the glories of France. A choice that also includes the figure of Napoleon Bonaparte, inserting the palace into a new national narrative.
From a center of absolute power to a public space of collective memory: the journey recounted by Ulysses highlights the historical transition that changed the complex's destiny.
A journey between history and television storytelling
The special confirms the program's narrative approach: rigorous reconstruction, attention to detail, and the ability to translate historical events into images that are understandable to a broad audience. Versailles is presented not only as an iconic site, but as a political and social entity that shaped an era.
With this episode, Ulysses broadens his international perspective and brings one of the most recognizable symbols of European history back to the forefront.