Château de Langeais
Encyclopedia
The Château de Langeais is a castle in Indre-et-Loire
, France
, built on a promontory created by the small valley of the Roumer River at the opening to the Val de Loire
. The tall fortified hall at the rear of the enclosure is thought to be among the earliest datable stone examples of a keep
in Europe.
of Anjou
One detailed study has been done on the cost of construction of Langeais tower, built in 992. The stone tower is 16 metres (52.5 ft) high, 17.5m wide, and 10m long with walls averaging 1.5m. The walls contain 1200 cubic metres (42,377.6 cu ft) of stone and have a total surface (both inside and out) of 1600 square metres (1,913.6 sq yd). This tower is estimated to have used 83,000 average working days to complete, most of which was unskilled labour.
Under the Plantagenet
kings, the chateau was fortified and expanded by Richard I of England
(King Richard the Lionhearted). However, King Philippe II of France
recaptured the château in 1206. Eventually though, during the Hundred Years' War
, the English destroyed it.
King Louis XI
(1461-1483) would rebuild it into what today is one of the best known examples of late medieval architecture. It is especially noted for its monumental and highly decorated chimneypieces.
After nearly being totally destroyed during the Hundred Years' War
, the chateau was rebuilt about 1465 during the reign of King Louis XI
. Located on a cliff overlooking the Loire River, the Château appears dark and ominous, but the interior rooms are richly decorated.
The great hall of the château was the scene of the marriage of Anne of Brittany
to King Charles VIII
on December 6, 1491 that made the permanent union of Brittany
and France. However, the fifteen-year-old Duchesse Anne, not happy with the politically arranged marriage, arrived for her wedding with her entourage carrying two beds.
In 1886, Jacques Siegfried bought Château Langeais and began a restoration program. He installed an outstanding collection of tapestries and furnishings and bequeathed the château to the Institut de France
which still owns it today. The château is open to the public.
It is listed as a monument historique
by the French Ministry of Culture.
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...
, 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...
, built on a promontory created by the small valley of the Roumer River at the opening to the Val de Loire
Loire Valley
The Loire Valley , spanning , is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. Its area comprises approximately . It is referred to as the Cradle of the French Language, and the Garden of France due to the abundance of vineyards, fruit orchards, and artichoke, asparagus, and...
. The tall fortified hall at the rear of the enclosure is thought to be among the earliest datable stone examples of a keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
in Europe.
History
The Château de Langeais was originally built as a protection fortress in the 10th century by Foulques NerraFulk III of Anjou
Fulk III , called Nerra after his death, was Count of Anjou from 21 July 987 to his death. He was the son of Geoffrey Greymantle and Adelaide of Vermandois....
of Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
One detailed study has been done on the cost of construction of Langeais tower, built in 992. The stone tower is 16 metres (52.5 ft) high, 17.5m wide, and 10m long with walls averaging 1.5m. The walls contain 1200 cubic metres (42,377.6 cu ft) of stone and have a total surface (both inside and out) of 1600 square metres (1,913.6 sq yd). This tower is estimated to have used 83,000 average working days to complete, most of which was unskilled labour.
Under the Plantagenet
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
kings, the chateau was fortified and expanded by Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
(King Richard the Lionhearted). However, King Philippe II of France
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
recaptured the château in 1206. Eventually though, during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, the English destroyed it.
King Louis XI
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
(1461-1483) would rebuild it into what today is one of the best known examples of late medieval architecture. It is especially noted for its monumental and highly decorated chimneypieces.
After nearly being totally destroyed during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, the chateau was rebuilt about 1465 during the reign of King Louis XI
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
. Located on a cliff overlooking the Loire River, the Château appears dark and ominous, but the interior rooms are richly decorated.
The great hall of the château was the scene of the marriage of Anne of Brittany
Anne of Brittany
Anne, Duchess of Brittany , also known as Anna of Brittany , was a Breton ruler, who was to become queen to two successive French kings. She was born in Nantes, Brittany, and was the daughter of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and Margaret of Foix. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Eleanor of...
to King Charles VIII
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
on December 6, 1491 that made the permanent union of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
and France. However, the fifteen-year-old Duchesse Anne, not happy with the politically arranged marriage, arrived for her wedding with her entourage carrying two beds.
In 1886, Jacques Siegfried bought Château Langeais and began a restoration program. He installed an outstanding collection of tapestries and furnishings and bequeathed the château to the Institut de France
Institut de France
The Institut de France is a French learned society, grouping five académies, the most famous of which is the Académie française.The institute, located in Paris, manages approximately 1,000 foundations, as well as museums and chateaux open for visit. It also awards prizes and subsidies, which...
which still owns it today. The château is open to the public.
It is listed as a monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
by the French Ministry of Culture.