France's famous Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles now reflects brighter images after a much-needed cleaning removed years of grime.
The Hall, which witnessed the signing of the Treaty of Versailles after World War 1, underwent a three year, €12m facelift so that visitors can better see their faces.
Frederic Didier, chief architect of France's historical monuments, says it now looks 'like a dazzling old lady'.
Built in 1684 on the orders of the 'Sun King' Louis XIV, 357 mirrors run along the 73 metre hall.
Louis XIV used the gallery for important ceremonial occasions including a reception for the ambassador of the King of Siam in 1686.
It was also where the victorious King of Prussia, Wilhelm I, proclaimed the inauguration of the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War in 1871.
Versailles is included on the United Nations' list of world heritage sites but over the years, some of the mirrors had become streaked and discoloured.
The Hall of Mirrors has already undergone previous restorations, the first a mere 15 years after its completion to repair damage caused by condensation from the breath of hundreds of courtiers and the soot from thousands of candles.
The latest restoration was carried out in stages and the gallery, which attracts three million visitors a year, remained open while the work was being carried out.
