Chenonceau Castle is located in France and is a private property, but every tourist can admire its architecture at any time of the year and take a photo for memory.
History of the Chenonceau castle
The plot of land where the castle is located in 1243 belonged to the De Mark family. The head of the family decided to settle English troops in the fortress, as a result of which King Charles VI was forced to recognize Jean de Marc as the full owner of all architectural structures on the ground around the castle, including the bridge over the river and the mill.
Later, due to the impossibility of maintaining the castle, it was sold to Thomas Boyer, who gave the order to demolish the palace, leaving only the donjon, the main tower, intact and intact.
The construction of the castle was completed in 1521. Three years later, Thomas Boyer died, and two years later his wife also died. Their son Antoine Boyer became the owner of the fortress, but he did not stay with them for long, since King Francis I seized the Chenonceau castle. The reason for this was the financial machinations that his father allegedly committed. According to unofficial data, the castle was confiscated for a trivial reason - the king really liked the area, which was ideal for organizing hunting and literary evenings.
The king had a son, Henry, who was married to Catherine de Medici. But, despite his marriage, he courted a lady named Diana and presented her with expensive gifts, one of which was the Chenonceau Palace, although this was prohibited by law.
We advise you to read about Neuschwanstein Castle.
In 1551, by the decision of the new owner, a luxurious garden and park were grown. A stone bridge was also erected. But she was not condemned to own the castle for a long time, because in 1559 Henry died, and his lawful wife wanted to return the castle back and she succeeded.
Catherine de Medici (wife) decided to add luxury to the French style by building on the territory:
- sculptures;
- arches;
- fountains;
- monuments.
Then the castle passed from one heir to another and nothing interesting happened to him. Today it is owned by the Meunier family, who bought the fortress back in 1888. In 1914, the castle was equipped as a hospital, where the wounded in the First World War were treated, and when the Second World War was a partisan contact point.
The architecture of the Chenonceau castle and other buildings
At the entrance to the territory adjacent to the palace, you can contemplate the alley with old plane trees (a kind of trees). On a huge square, you should definitely look at the office, which was built in the 16th century.
Particular attention should be paid to a garden containing a huge number of ornamental plants. The oldest building is the donjon, built during the time of the first owner of the castle.
To enter the Hall of the Guards, located on the first floor of the castle, one must make a path along the drawbridge. Here you can enjoy trellises from the 16th century. After entering the chapel, tourists see statues made of Carrara marble.
Next, you need to taste the Green Hall, Diana's chambers and a fascinating gallery, which contains compositions by famous artists such as Peter Paul Rubens and Jean-Marc Nattier.
There are many rooms on the second floor, namely:
- the chambers of Catherine de Medici;
- the bedroom of Karl Vendome;
- apartments Gabriel d'Estre;
- room "5 queens".
