Château de Saint-Chaptes
Encyclopedia
The Château de Saint-Chaptes is a modernised castle
in the commune
of Saint-Chaptes
in the Gard
département of France.
The medieval castle was built in the 13th century and modified in the 15th and 17th centuries. Protected by towers, it was surrounded by moat
s which have now been filled. The exact date of construction is unclear, but it is known that the castle was pillaged in 1217.
In 1623, it was enlarged for the stay of Louis XIII
and Cardinal Richelieu to prepare for the Peace of Alais
. In the 18th century, interior modification included the creation of a central access corridor and the creation of a grand staircase.
Under the First Empire
, the building was updated in the current taste by the Countess de Brueys. The remains of the ramparts, dating back to the 14th century, include two towers whose height was halved during the Revolution
, forming the entrance to the castle. The rampart itself was rebuilt in the 19th century.
Privately owned, the Château de Saint-Chaptes has been listed since 1998 as a monument historique
by the French Ministry of Culture.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Saint-Chaptes
Saint-Chaptes
Saint-Chaptes is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-References:*...
in the Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
département of France.
The medieval castle was built in the 13th century and modified in the 15th and 17th centuries. Protected by towers, it was surrounded by moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
s which have now been filled. The exact date of construction is unclear, but it is known that the castle was pillaged in 1217.
In 1623, it was enlarged for the stay of Louis XIII
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
and Cardinal Richelieu to prepare for the Peace of Alais
Peace of Alais
The Peace of Alais, also known as the Edict of Alès or the Edict of Grace, was a treaty negotiated by Cardinal Richelieu with Huguenot leaders and signed by King Louis XIII of France on 27 September 1629...
. In the 18th century, interior modification included the creation of a central access corridor and the creation of a grand staircase.
Under the First Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
, the building was updated in the current taste by the Countess de Brueys. The remains of the ramparts, dating back to the 14th century, include two towers whose height was halved during the Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, forming the entrance to the castle. The rampart itself was rebuilt in the 19th century.
Privately owned, the Château de Saint-Chaptes has been listed since 1998 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.