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The Château de Langeais is a castle in Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire

Indre-et-Loire is a Departments of France in west-central France named after the Indre River and the River Loire rivers....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, built on a promontory created by the small valley of the Roumer River at the opening to the Val de Loire
Loire Valley

Loire Valley is known as the Garden of France and the Cradle of the French Language. It is also noteworthy for the quality of its architectural heritage, in its historic towns such as Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Nantes, Orl?ans, Saumur, and Tours, but in particular for its world-famous castles, such as the Ch?teaux d'Ch?teau d'Am...
. The tall fortified hall at the rear of the enclosure is thought to be the earliest datable stone examples of a keep
Keep

A keep is a strong central tower which is used as a dungeon or a fortress. Often, the keep is the most defended area of a castle, and as such may form the main Human habitat area, or contain important stores such as the Armory , food, and the main water well, which would ensure survival during a siege....
 in Europe.

Château de Langeais was originally built as a fortress in the 10th century by Foulques Nerra
Fulk III of Anjou

Fulk III , called Nerra after his death, was List of Counts and Dukes of Anjou from 21 July 987 to his death. He was the son of Geoffrey I of Anjou and Adele of Meaux....
 of Anjou
Anjou

Anjou is a former county , duchy and Provinces of France centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day d?partement in France of Maine-et-Loire....


Under the Plantagenet
Angevin

Angevin is the name applied to the residents of Anjou, a former province of the Ancien R?gime in France, as well as to the residents of Angers....
 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 in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Ireland, Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Nantes and Brittany at various times during the same period....
 (King Richard the Lionhearted).






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The Château de Langeais is a castle in Indre-et-Loire
Indre-et-Loire

Indre-et-Loire is a Departments of France in west-central France named after the Indre River and the River Loire rivers....
, France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
, built on a promontory created by the small valley of the Roumer River at the opening to the Val de Loire
Loire Valley

Loire Valley is known as the Garden of France and the Cradle of the French Language. It is also noteworthy for the quality of its architectural heritage, in its historic towns such as Amboise, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Nantes, Orl?ans, Saumur, and Tours, but in particular for its world-famous castles, such as the Ch?teaux d'Ch?teau d'Am...
. The tall fortified hall at the rear of the enclosure is thought to be the earliest datable stone examples of a keep
Keep

A keep is a strong central tower which is used as a dungeon or a fortress. Often, the keep is the most defended area of a castle, and as such may form the main Human habitat area, or contain important stores such as the Armory , food, and the main water well, which would ensure survival during a siege....
 in Europe.

History

The Château de Langeais was originally built as a fortress in the 10th century by Foulques Nerra
Fulk III of Anjou

Fulk III , called Nerra after his death, was List of Counts and Dukes of Anjou from 21 July 987 to his death. He was the son of Geoffrey I of Anjou and Adele of Meaux....
 of Anjou
Anjou

Anjou is a former county , duchy and Provinces of France centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day d?partement in France of Maine-et-Loire....


Under the Plantagenet
Angevin

Angevin is the name applied to the residents of Anjou, a former province of the Ancien R?gime in France, as well as to the residents of Angers....
 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 in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Ireland, Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Nantes and 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 of France and his third wife, Ad?le of Champagne....
 recaptured the château in 1206. Eventually though, during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War

The Hundred Years' War was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne, which was vacant with the extinction of the senior House of Capet line of French kings....
, the English destroyed it.

King Louis XI
Louis XI of France

Louis XI , called the Prudent and the Universal Spider or the Spider King, was the List of French monarchs from 1461 to 1483....
 (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 prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne, which was vacant with the extinction of the senior House of Capet 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 and the Universal Spider or the Spider King, was the List of French monarchs from 1461 to 1483....
. Located on a cliff overlooking the Loire River
Loire River

The Loire is the longest river in France. With a length of , it drains an area of , which represents more than a fifth of France's land area....
, 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 of Brittany and Margaret of Foix....
 to King Charles VIII
Charles VIII of France

Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was List of French monarchs from 1483 to his death. Charles was a member of the House of Valois. His invasion of Italy initiated the long series of Italian Wars which characterized the first half of the 16th century....
 on December 6, 1491 that made the permanent union of Brittany
Brittany

Brittany is a former independent Celtic nations monarchy and duchy, now incorporated into France. It is also, more generally, the name of the cultural area whose limits correspond to the historic province and independent duchy....
 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 France learned society, grouping five acad?mies, the most famous of which is probably the Acad?mie fran?aise....
 which still owns it today. The château is open to the public.

It is listed as a monument historique
Monument historique

Monument historique is a State procedure in France by which heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings or an entire neighborhood, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their architectural and historical importance....
 by the French Ministry of Culture.

Gallery



See also

  • List of castles in France
    List of castles in France

    This is a list of castles in France, arranged by Regions of France and Departments of France.Notes:# The French word ch?teau has a wider meaning than the English castle: it includes architectural entities that are properly called palaces, mansions or vineyards in English....


External links