Azay-le-Rideau
Encyclopedia
Azay-le-Rideau is a commune of the Indre-et-Loire
department in central France
.
of Azay-le-Rideau was built from 1515 to 1527, one of the earliest French Renaissance
châteaux. Built on an island in the Indre River
, its foundations rise straight out of the water.
There is a church dedicated to Saint Symphorien near the château that is interesting for the number of architectural periods incorporated in its design. While the newest portion dates from 1603, the current façade incorporates an older ninth century façade in the Carolingian style
. The original carved figures are still visible, though an added window destroyed part of the second row. The rest of the church is of a Romanesque style
.
Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire is a department in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers.-History:Indre-et-Loire is one of the original 83 départements created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
department in central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Château
The châteauChâteau
A château is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally—and still most frequently—in French-speaking regions...
of Azay-le-Rideau was built from 1515 to 1527, one of the earliest French Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
châteaux. Built on an island in the Indre River
Indre River
The Indre is a river in central France, left tributary to the river Loire.Its source is in the département Cher, near Préveranges. It flows through the départements Cher, Indre and Indre-et-Loire...
, its foundations rise straight out of the water.
Church
Carolingian architecture
Carolingian architecture is the style of north European Pre-Romanesque architecture belonging to the period of the Carolingian Renaissance of the late 8th and 9th centuries, when the Carolingian family dominated west European politics...
. The original carved figures are still visible, though an added window destroyed part of the second row. The rest of the church is of a Romanesque style
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
.