Chenonceau castle. Sights of France: medieval castles. Chenonceau - "Lady's Castle" over the river in France

The castles of the Loire have long been as popular a French brand as the Eiffel Tower, Disneyland Paris, croissants and wine. The beauty of ancient castles, mostly built in the Middle Ages and then rebuilt in the Renaissance in accordance with the requests of the kings and aristocracy of those times, attracts an endless stream of beauty lovers all year round.

The castles are located not very far from Paris, within 1-2.5 hours drive, and many combine during organized excursion visiting several castles at once (there is no shortage of such excursions from Paris). Of course, this is a matter of taste, but since you can get to many castles on your own, and it is not difficult to do this, you should think about your own route. To help you do this, I am starting to publish articles about the different castles of the Loire - their history, architecture and "highlights".

By the way, how many castles of the Loire- the answer to this question will not be unambiguous, because castles and palaces, let's say, fall into "different categories" and have different statuses in different catalogs. If we focus on the classification of the official society "Castles of the Loire. Royal Valley", then their list includes 71 monuments. Despite the fact that not all objects from this list can be castles, since a whole park of structures for various purposes traditionally grew around the castles. Today, all of them are of great historical value and, according to unofficial estimates, the total number of objects in the Loire Valley can reach up to 300.

Among several dozen castles of the Loire Valley, known as cultural and historical monuments of world importance, some are especially popular, and the number of tourists visiting them is from 400 to 900 thousand people a year. One of them is Chenonceau Castle, which has the unofficial title of "Castle of Dams". Its owners were outstanding women, each of whom put a particle of their personality into the appearance of the castle and the magnificent gardens surrounding it.

The history of Chenonceau dates back to around the 13th century (1243). It is known that this year the owners of the lands on which the castle was erected in the form in which we can see it today, were the de Mark family from Auvergne. Among the objects was an ancient fortress (where exactly did it come from - information about this has been lost for centuries), surrounded by water moats and connected to the banks of the Sher River by a bridge on chains. In some places on the territory of the castle, even today you can find the image of the emblem of its first owners, the de Mark family.

Then, at the beginning of the 16th century (1512), the right to own the estate with the fortress passed to Thomas Boye, a very enterprising nobleman in the position of quartermaster at the court, in charge of finances. The wealthy Boyer began a global reconstruction of Chenonceau, from which he decided to make a luxurious castle in the Italian style, inspired by his "business trips" to this country during the wars. The construction was large-scale and very expensive, and the motto of the Boyes couple, preserved on the massive front door of the castle erected under their leadership, serves as a reminder of this to posterity - "If I manage to build Chenonceau, I will be remembered."

After the death of Boyer and his wife, this "tidbit" was "expropriated" from their heir by the King of France, Francis I. Around this time, the period of the history of Chenonceau as a "ladies' castle" begins. I will not bore you with historical collisions around the castle and complete list those to whom it belonged, and I will list only the most famous female owners, because of which it received the name "ladies' castle".

King Henry II, son of Francis I, presented Chenonceau in 1547 to his favorite Diane de Poitiers(1499-1566). Diana developed a stormy activity, laying out beautiful gardens here, the best of the best for those times. The famous bridge over the river Cher, also built by her order, determined the unique appearance of Chenonceau.

Catherine de Medici(1519-1589), the widow of Henry II, after his death, excommunicates her rival Diana and takes away the castle from her, continuing to work on its improvement. Catherine de Medici erects a two-story gallery to organize lavish festivities. During her regency, Italian luxury reigns in the castle, court “parties” are held here on a grand scale.

Louise of Lorraine(1553-1601) in 1589, after the death of his husband, King Henry III (he was the fourth son of Henry II and Catherine de Medici), retires from the court to the castle of Chenonceau and wears mourning until his death. Mourning was then symbolized by the white color, and Louise, who whiled away her widowed days in the castle, plunged him into a state of, so to speak, stagnation and stupor. Today, the luxurious "black bedroom of the white queen" Louise of Lorraine "tells" about this sad period in the history of Chenonceau (in one of the photos). With her death, the period of the royal presence at the Château de Chenonceau ended.

In the XVIII century, another Louise - Louise Dupin, the wife of a wealthy landowner-banker, who passed the castle in 1733, breathed into Chenonceau new life. This prominent representative high society France during the Enlightenment organized a fashion salon in the castle, surrounding herself with the best writers, poets, scientists and philosophers of that time. Chenonceau was often visited by Montesquieu, Diderot, Voltaire, Rousseau and other outstanding minds of the era. In fact, Louise Dupin saved the castle during the French Revolution, because thanks to the good nature of Dupin, the people's anger passed the castle and its inhabitants.

In the 19th century Marguerite Peluz, who emerged from the industrial bourgeoisie, spent almost a fortune on the revival of former luxury Chenonceau (she wanted to recreate the period of his heyday under Diane de Poitiers).

And one more name is mentioned in connection with the history of the castle of Chenonceau - this Simone Meunier, which in the 20th century managed a military hospital organized on the territory of the estate and the castle. The premises were converted into a hospital for wounded soldiers at the expense of the Meunier family, producers of the chocolate of the same name. The courage of Simone Meunier was manifested both during the First World War and during the Second - in the form of resistance to the Nazis, when anti-fascists were actively operating around the castle.

Chenonceau castle today

Chenonceau, a masterpiece of the Renaissance, was directly influenced by the Florentine Porte Vecchio. It presents a unique collection of paintings, tapestries and furniture. Chenonceau houses paintings by the greatest European masters of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries: Murillo, Tintoretto, Nicolas Poussin, Correggio, Rubens, Primaticcio, Vanloo, Van Dyck, Francois Clouet and many others. A retrospective dedicated to the most important ladies in the history of the castle listed above is open here. The splendor of Chenonceau is largely created by the famous gardens of Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici - a work of the Renaissance garden art. The gardens of the mistress and lawful wife of King Henry II are different, but they are united by incredible grace. Also, without exception, everyone likes the Italian labyrinth garden, created at the request of Catherine de Medici. Today over maintenance historical appearance gardens and floral decoration of the castle employs a whole staff of gardeners and florist designers.

Unfortunately, the format of the article does not allow to list all the premises and objects on the territory of the castle and estate, each of which is remarkable and even famous in connection with their outstanding owners. It is better to come here and see for yourself one of the most (and according to many, the most beautiful!) Castle of the Loire Valley.

Of course, it is worth taking at least one full day to this castle, or even together with the evening - in the summer (from July 1 to August 30) on the estate you can buy tickets for the so-called night walk and see the skillfully illuminated gardens of Chenonceau to the accompaniment of the composer's music Italian Classicism Arcangelo Corelli.

The castle is open all year round, seven days a week.

How to get to Chenonceau castle

The castle is located 214 kilometers from Paris, and 34 kilometers from the city of Tours - one of the two cities (the second is Blois), next to which the most famous castles Loire. By car from Paris, take the A10 highway.

You can also get there by train - from Gare Montparnasse to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps station, which is located near Tours. Then you need to transfer to a local train to Chenonceau. It is important to plan your journey in advance using the SNCF timetable so that you do not get caught up in the long train intervals between Saint-Pierre-des-Corps-Chenonceau.

(Castle of Leonardo da Vinci)

Chenonceau castle photo

Excursion "Night walk" in the gardens of Chenonceau

Chenonceau castle stands on the river Cher

Panorama of the castle of Chenonceau

Italian labyrinth of Catherine de Medici

Bedroom of Diane de Poitiers

The Green Study of Catherine de Medici

Cesar Vendôme's bedroom

"Funeral" bedroom of Louise of Lorraine

Christmas decorations at Chenonceau castle

Photo: Briq Ecliptique, Images de Marc

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Chenonceau Castle is one of the most beautiful and most visited castles in France, with a history of more than 700 years. Today it is open for visits. It has been completely restored. Anyone can admire the beauty and grandeur of this area. This is one of the most romantic places in France!

• original name - "Chenonceau"
• Popular name - "Lady's Castle"

Where is Chenonceau Castle or Ladies' Castle

Chenonceau Castle is located near the miniature village of the same name Chenonceau, in the French department of Indre and Laura. Its territory stretches along the picturesque river Sher. And if you ever decide to visit this fabulous place, you can enjoy mirrored clear waters the Sher River, whose mystery is no less attractive.

Historical Facts of Chenonceau Castle in France

This building was never intended for the defensive purposes of France. The donjon tower tells us about the first owners of the Chenonceau estate. They have been the de Mark family since 1243. They owned the fortress located here, which was surrounded by the waters of the river Sher. There was a mill next to the fortress.

On high tower Boye's initials are engraved: T. V. K. (Thomas Bohier and Katherine) - the following owners of the tower, and there is also an interesting inscription that attracts the attention of tourists:

Who ever comes here, let him remember me

Closer to the 16th century, the de Mark family put up some lands for sale. Thomas Boye, quartermaster for financial affairs in Normandy at the court of Francis I, began to buy plot after plot and, as a result, became the owner of most of it. But over time, Boye bought the remaining lands from the de Mark family. He decided to destroy old fortress and build a new one - "Castle-residence", without large walls and loopholes.

The construction work, which was led by Thomas's wife, Catherine Bonet, was completed in 1521. But she did not manage to enjoy the work done enough, because after 3 years she died. After the death of Catherine Bonet, the possessions were transferred to her son, Antoine. But Francis I confiscated the property under the pretext of compensation for violations in financial matters. The son of Francis I, Henry II, inherited the palace after the death of his father.

Diane de Poitiers becomes the second owner of the castle. In 1551, she decided to decorate the area with parks. The park of the castle of Chenonceau and the orchard were redone (read about:). Diana built a magnificent arch bridge across the river, which gives the impression that the building is floating on water. It is this effect that envelops the romance of this area. There is a similar palace on the water in India - Jal Mahal.

After the death of Henry II, Catherine de Medici takes on the renovation of the complex. Now this area was decorated with majestic arches, crystal water fountains, obelisks, tall columns and statues of extraordinary beauty. Catherine decided to equip luxurious gardens on the other side of the estate.

Thus, today the palace is surrounded by two gardens: the first - created by Diane de Poitiers, and the second - Catherine de Medici. Admire how beautiful it is in the second park.

Interesting facts about the French castle of Chenonceau

1. In 1580, the French architect Androuze Ducerceau built a new wing on the bridge over the river Cher.
2. The fourth woman who connected her life with the castle of Chenonceau was the wife of King Henry III, Louise de Vaudemont.
3. In the second half of the 17th century, Louis XIII became the last king to live in Chenonceau in France. After that, no one took care of the palace at all.
4. In 1864, Madame Pelouze buys and restores it. It was she who returned the castle to its former appearance.
5. In 1888, after the Peluz family went bankrupt, the property was confiscated. Chenonceau subsequently became the fortune of Henri Meunier. And now he is among the selected buildings of Laura in France.
6. In 1914, it was converted into a hospital, where more than 2,000 wounded were brought.
7. During the Second World War, it was a haven for partisans.

What does Chenonceau Ladies' Castle look like today?

Today the castle has been completely reconstructed and is open to the public.

On its territory there is a museum wax figures, whose characters are respectable people of France. In front of the entrance to the estate there is a chic alley of flowers, surrounded by centuries-old trees. On the right side are the gardens of Diane de Poitiers.

Now, perhaps, it has become more clear why the palace is called "ladies" among the people! Since its owners were most often women who equipped the surrounding area for themselves: luxurious gardens, gentle alleys, snow-white walls, graceful windows and towers.

But you can call it masculine.

The incredible beauty of the white color of the majestic walls is simply captivating. Indeed, this is a ladies' palace. He is so elegant and solemn that he certainly wants to imagine himself as a noble person in a luxurious dress and take a walk in the park around the powerful buildings.

And the castle park captures with its extraordinary design and mysterious character.

Where is Chenonceau Castle located on the map

Watch the video with this elegant castle:

How does it work: from October 24 to November 4, 9.00-18.00; from November 5 to December 31 9.30-17.00; the rest of the time 9.00-19.30.
Issue price: 10.50 (8) euros.

What to look at: Chenonceau is an obligatory item of the program of the visit to the Loire Valley. This castle-Narcissus, as if forever admiring its reflection in the water, gives an exhaustive idea of ​​the French Renaissance. White stone, the play of light and shadow reflected from the surface of the water, creates an amazing artistic image that remains in memory forever.

Story

Chenonceau is called the castle of women because greatest influence it was women who had the influence on its architecture and history.

The estate, where Chenonceau Castle rises today, belonged since 1243 to the de Mark family, immigrants from Auvergne. Their property was also the fortress located here, surrounded by water ditches and connected to the bank of the river Sher by a drawbridge. There was a mill next to the fortress. To date, from the 15th century, only the donjon, called tower mark, which stands on an artificially created island, whose shores are lined with stone like a fortification.

During the reign of Charles VI, Jean de Mark placed an English garrison in his fortress, which prompted the king to order the demolition of all defensive fortifications and secure the lands to their rightful owners. Financial difficulties forced the family to sell their inheritance to Tom Boye. In 1512, Thomas Boye, commissar for financial affairs in Normandy, also bought the fortress. In love with the Renaissance style, Boye decided to destroy the old castle, with the exception of the donjon, in order to build a new structure. The donjon itself acquires large windows, sculptural decoration surrounds the doorway. The tower was a type of pavilion with large windows, a high roof, and lucarnes. The character of the design of the façade is reminiscent of what has already been seen in the architecture of the "wing of Francis I" in Blois. Pilasters and balconies further emphasize the renaissance appearance of this donjon. The interiors partially retained the old decoration, such as fireplaces with faience tiles.

However, Toma soon went to war, and his wife undertook the construction of a new castle. Catherine Brisson. It is with her that Chenonceau plunges headlong into court life. The wife of Thomas Boyer, chief tax collector of Normandy, she was the daughter and niece of the finance superintendents Guillaume Brisson and Jacques de Semblansay. This is the world of the big financiers of the kingdom. Under the leadership of Catherine, the building and the estate enter the first stage of true management. She takes the reins of government in her hands and holds them firmly, thanks to her character, upbringing and opportunities.

She solved the issue with the old buildings radically. On the site of the donjon, a front yard was broken, which is still surrounded by moats. One tower was left from the fortifications, and two supports from the mill. On them, by order of Catherine, master P. Nepve built a square building with corner turrets. This rectangular structure with protruding corner towers surrounded the vestibule with lancet vaults on four sides. There were four rooms on the lower floor, connected to four other rooms on the second floor by a wide straight staircase. Chenonceau became the first castle in France, the halls of which open onto the central hall, where instead of the Gothic spiral staircase a staircase with straight flights is used, and on the facade there is a balcony built not for utilitarian purposes and not for watching tournaments.

Construction was completed in 1521, after which Cardinal Boye, Bishop of Bourges, consecrated the chapel of the castle. Three years later, in 1524, Thomas Boye died in Italy, where he went in the retinue of the king. Catherine Brisonnet died two years later. The castle was inherited by their son Antoine. Suddenly, Francis I discovered that Boye was stealing. For the true or imaginary sins of his father, the son paid with the estate, and Chenonceau became royal residence in 1533. Perhaps the king wanted to have a beautiful estate because of his hunting grounds. Francis I sometimes visited the castle, accompanied by a small circle of courtiers: Eleanor of Habsburg (his second wife), son Henry, daughter-in-law of Catherine de Medici, his favorite Anna de Pissele (lady d "Eyi) and favorite son - Diane de Saint-Valier de Poitiers. The castle hosted hunting trips, holidays, literary evenings in the fashion of those times.

There are many incredible stories associated with the name Diane de Poitiers: allegedly she was at the same time the mistress of King Francis I and his son, the future Henry II; as if Francis asked her to "teach the science of love" to his son, still an inexperienced young man, whom she farsightedly made her constant lover. Be that as it may, having become King of France in 1547, Henry II, despite his marriage to Catherine de Medici, continued to shower Diana with numerous signs of his attention, with whom he fell in love as a boy. It should be noted that Diana was 19 years older than the king. The new king even established her emblem in the form of a crescent - a sign of the goddess Diana the hunter, and dressed in the colors of his favorite - black and white. It is not surprising that soon the castle of Chenonceau became the property of Diana - contrary to all laws that prohibited the alienation of possessions that belonged to the Crown. Simultaneously with the castle, Henry made another gift to his mistress, forgiving her part of the tax, which he personally returned to her. Thanks to these funds, Diane de Poitiers was able in 1551 to undertake work on the improvement of her new property, including the redevelopment of the park and the orchard, which grew vegetables and fruits that were considered exotic at that time (for example, artichokes and melons).

She forced Sher to measure the depth for the purpose of the proposed construction stone bridge, which was carried out according to the project of Philibert Delorme in 1556. Perhaps she planned to build a second building, symmetrical to the first.

Diana's management of the castle estates was exemplary. First of all, she conducted an inventory of possessions and property. Secondly, it made the Chenonceau estate profitable. Surrounding herself with experienced administrative advisors, the Duchess took matters into her own hands. She brought Chenonceau to perfection, corresponding to her desire for fame.

Despite her age, Diana managed to maintain her beauty, as evidenced by her famous portrait, where she is depicted naked with a deer. To preserve her youth, she plunged into icy water in the morning, rode a horse and walked on foot, then to fall asleep until noon. Henry II died in 1559 and Catherine de Medici took Chenonceau from her husband's mistress. Diana was forced to exchange the castle for Chaumont, although she never appeared there, moving to her estate in Anet, where she died at the age of 66.

Catherine, having returned Chenonceau to the Crown, arranged magnificent festivities there in honor of her son Francis II and his wife Mary Stuart. The architect Primaticcio decorated the estate with extraordinary splendor, columns, statues, fountains, triumphant orcs, obelisks... A battery of 30 cannons saluted in the courtyard.

The Medici ordered Delorme to build a two-story gallery on the bridge over the Cher. The bridge itself bears a resemblance to the Pont Neuf in Paris. Facade new building on the bridge, somewhat heavy in proportion, had a number of new and original features. The windows above the pylons, together with the wall, formed a semicircular ledge, like modern bay windows, so that for the next window, a floor above, a small balcony was formed, as it were. The verticals of the abutments of the bridge and a row of windows were emphasized by lucarnes with a round hole - "bull's eyes", as they were then called.

Under Catherine de Medici was defeated (to the west) new garden and new service premises were built, in particular, a library near the chapel. These works were completed in 1568 at the time of the signing of the Peace of Amboise. Continuing the work on construction and decoration, Catherine further developed the business begun by her predecessor and rival Diane de Poitiers. By expanding sericulture and organizing the production of silk on the spot, she created the Orleans "royal linen". She also achieved a significant increase in income from the estate by revising rent, rent of farms, mills, forests and duties from the inhabitants of the district. It gives even more scope to luxurious gardens. So, she plants lemon and orange trees, beautifully equips the land, flower beds, increases the number of groves, grottoes, buildings and fountains.

Another memorable celebration took place in Chenonceau in 1577, timed to coincide with the return of Henry III from Poland to confirm the right of succession for his brother Charles IX. Here the idea of ​​a festival that took place at Plessis-le-Tour, when the men dressed in women's costumes and the women in men's, was revived. Henry III liked to wear a dress of pink and silver brocade to balls, his hair was decorated with violets and diamonds, and a string of pearls was wrapped around his neck. According to the French chronicler Pierre d'Etoile, "the depth of his neckline did not allow you to determine at a glance who is in front of you - a female king or a male queen."

In 1580, the architect Androuet Ducerceau realized the idea of ​​Philibert Delorme by building a new wing on the bridge over the river Cher. This two-storey structure consisted of two long facades cut through by rhythmically alternating windows, risalits, and lucarnes. The top floor, equipped as a ballroom, was richly decorated, like the rest of the castle. Luxurious holidays, inspired by memories of antiquity and mythology, at which the young ladies of the court were often half-naked (it was a "flying squadron", whose duties included collecting all kinds of information, which was then transmitted to the queen), ended with the death of Catherine, who overtook her in Blois in 1589.

According to the will, the castle passed to the wife of Henry III Louise of Lorraine. A few months later, the monk Jacques Clement killed the king. Before his death, he dictated a letter to his wife, in which he said: "My dove, I hope that I will soon get better, ask the Lord for me and do not leave where you are." Perhaps these words were the reason that the queen remained in Chenonceau until her death. Louise retired to the castle, decorated the rooms in the form of a tomb, tightening everything with black draperies, and they themselves took a vow of white mourning - a custom that has existed since antiquity. Until her death, the widow walked around the black castle in white mourning dresses, for which she was nicknamed the "white queen", and fervently prayed along with the Ursuline nuns.

The castle was inherited Françoise de Mercure wife of Caesar of Vendôme. From that moment on, the kings of France abandoned Chenonceau. last lived there Louis XIV in 1650 at the age of 12. The state of abandonment in which the Dukes of Vendôme and Bourbon-Condé left the castle was interrupted with the conversion of one of its wings into a Capuchin monastery. From this era, there was a drawbridge that served to isolate the monks from the outside world.

In 1733 Chenonceau was bought by the banker Claude Dupin. His wife patronized the arts, sciences and literature. Madame Dupin, whose descendant was George Sand, opened a fashion salon in Chenonceau, where the names of many celebrities of that era flashed: Fontenelle, Buffon, Montesquieu, Mably, Marivaux, Voltaire, Condillac, Madame de Tensy, Madame du Deffand. Her secretary was J.-J. Rousseau. He then wrote: "... In this great place there was a lot of entertainment, the food was very good here, I became fat, like a monk. Here they liked to play music, read plays. I have composed here a work in verse under the title "Avenue Sylvius" after the name of the avenue of the park that goes around the Cher. Indeed, Madame Dupin set up a small theater with performances and equipped a physical study. The rooms of the old apartment were re-furnished and became more comfortable.

Madame Dupin lived a long life (93 years) and was so respected by the peasants that during the Revolution they protected their mistress and saved the castle from ruin and destruction. The abbé Lecomte, the village curate, spoke out against the most ardent revolutionaries, telling them: "There is only one bridge between Montrichard and Blair, and you want to destroy it! You are enemies of the public good!"

Madame Dupin died in 1799 and was buried in the park. The empty castle was sold in 1864 to Chenonceau, it was acquired by Madame Pelouze. She attempted to harmonize the ornate main building with the sparsely decorated gallery by cutting down the stone carvings from the façade windows. The idea of ​​the new owner of the castle was to return it to its original appearance - before the alterations of Catherine de Medici. So the facade lost its windows and caryatids, but the wing on the bridge over the Cher was not touched. After the ruin of the Pelouze family, the castle was confiscated and in 1888 Land Credit sold it to Henri Meunier, one of the wealthy industrialists of the time. His heirs are still the owners of Chenonceau.

In the 19th century, the castle was restored by Viollet le Duc.

During the First World War, Gaston Meunier, at that time a senator of the department of Seine and Marne, at his own expense equipped a hospital in the gallery, which housed more than 2,000 wounded. During the Second World War in 1940-42. the border of the fascist occupation passed along the river Sher. The southern door of the gallery overlooked the territory controlled by the Vichy government, and the northern one - to the lands occupied by the Germans. In Chenonceau there was a contact point for local partisans.

Today, the castle has been completely restored and is open to the public, making it a must-see in the Loire Valley.

ancient castles of the world seem to take visitors back several centuries. I just want to imagine myself as a beautiful marquise or a gallant viscount, or even a brave knight, ready to fight in a tournament for the look and smile of a lady of the heart ... The word "chateau" in French has many meanings. This and harsh feudal fortress somewhere on a cliff, and a nice estate surrounded by a garden and outbuildings, and a pompous palace with fountains, ponds and parks. That is why Queribus in the Pyrenees, Trianon in Versailles and Rambouillet near Paris are all “château”. Each of these objects performed its functions, and now they are all unique sights of France. Many of them are now museums. And some still serve for solemn receptions of the first persons of other states. In this article, we will talk about interesting castle Chenonceau (France). It is one of three in the Loire Valley that are a must-see for tourists.

Location

Ancient castles in France - more than enough. Each region has its own characteristics in the construction of defensive citadels and luxurious palaces. However, there are two provinces where the chateau density is square kilometer it just overwhelms. This is the Ile-de-France with Paris and its suburbs and the Loire Valley. This last region is famous for fine wines and goat cheese. But even more - with their locks. It is for this that UNESCO has included the Loire Valley - from Sally to Châlons - in its List World Heritage. Excursions in France cannot ignore this region. Most of the local chateaus belong to the Renaissance. This is an elegant mix of a country residence and the buildings are distinguished by splendor, beauty, but they are surrounded by a moat, and sometimes powerful walls. Aristocrats and kings lived here, and therefore luxury (and well-founded fears for their safety) is quite understandable.

Historical monuments of France and the Loire Valley

In this country, there are about three hundred castles that deserve attention. Even if some of them are ruins, their eventful history makes them very interesting. The most recognizable is the Château Cheverny. It has been known to us since childhood - after all, it was he who became the prototype of the cartoonish abode of princesses for Disney. The castles of Europe were built in different periods. So Breze, built in the eleventh century as a fortress, was alternately a citadel, a country residence, a palace, and, finally, in the nineteenth century hunting lodge. Mandatory excursion program the castles of the Loire include a visit to Chamborne. It is believed that Leonardo da Vinci created his architectural plan: the titan of the Renaissance was then in the service of King Francis the First and lived in nearby Amboise. But it is known for certain that the artist completed his famous Gioconda here.

Exposition of the castle of Chenonceau

The chateau we are interested in is famous for its collection of medieval tapestries, carpets and antique furniture. The spouses and mothers of the monarchs of France, as well as their uncrowned favorites, lived here. Therefore, Chenonceau is often called the "Castle of the Beautiful Ladies." Louise Dupin and Catherine de' Medici weaved their destinies into the walls of these exquisite pieces of architecture. In many castles (including those located in the Loire Valley) there are museums in France. Do not forget that the famous Louvre was not built as Art Gallery, and at first as a feudal fortress. To be convinced of this, it is enough to go down to the basement of the museum. The thickness of the walls of the medieval Louvre is impressive. Then it was the residence of the king, abandoned for the sake of the brilliant Versailles. Chenonceau also houses a museum - not only of tapestries, but also of wax figures. There is also a small art gallery here.

Chenonceau castle and its neighbors

Chateau Chenonceau is over seven hundred years old. But, despite such a respectful age, it has never been a truly defensive structure. The wild Normans, who tormented these lands at the turn of the millennium, were forgotten by 1243. Villages that once hid on the hills began to slide towards the roads. Therefore, Chenonceau, popularly called " ladies' castle", takes comfortable spot right on the Cher River, a tributary of the Loire. If you are interested in the period of the early Middle Ages, then welcome to the neighboring Château Langeais - the oldest in these places. Ancient castles of the world are not uncommon here. This is Amboise, which is a typical example of Renaissance architecture, which, however, began to be built as early as the eleventh century. No less ancient Chinon is one of the royal castles of the tenth century. But a typical chateau in the Loire Valley is a resplendent "palazzo" in the style of the Italian Renaissance. These are Blois (Catherine de Medici died in this castle), Villandry, Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau.

History of the feudal castle

The first mention of the fortress dates back to 1243. Then the village of Chenonceau was owned by the de Mark family. A small castle was built on the outskirts of the settlement. According to the architectural canons of that time, it was surrounded by walls with loopholes and a moat, where the Sher waters were directed. A mill adjoined the chateau. To get inside the castle, it was necessary to pass the drawbridge. During the Hundred Years War, the owner of the chateau, Jean de Marc, made an unacceptable mistake: he allowed the British to place a garrison. For this opposition, he ordered the demolition of defensive fortifications and the destruction of the feudal tower. Falling out of favor (and experiencing financial difficulties because of this), the de Mark family sold the castle of Chenonceau to the intendant of finance of Normandy, Thomas Boye. This man was a fan of the Renaissance. And so he razed to the ground what he did not have time to destroy french king, and launched a grandiose construction in 1512. It was completed only in 1521. The Boyers did not have time to fully enjoy their residence: Thomas died in 1524, and his wife Catherine - in 1526.

History of the royal castle

Boyet's son, Antoine, took over. But King Francis I, under the pretext of punishing him for financial violations, annexed the chateau. This expropriation took place in 1533. So the castle of Chenonceau became a royal country residence. Francis I visited here for the sake of hunting. But he also brought his close associates to the chateau: his wife Eleanor of Habsburg, son Henry, daughter-in-law Catherine de Medici. The favorites also visited here - the Duchess d'Etampes Anna de Pisle - beloved of Francis, and Diana de Saint-Valier de Poitiers, concubine of his son Henry. Literary evenings, balls and festivities were held in the chateau.

Why is Chenonceau called the "Lady's Castle"

When Henry ascended the throne in 1547, Diane de Poitiers begged him for this nice place. And the monarch, contrary to the law forbidding the alienation of royal possessions, transferred the castle of Chenonceau to his favorite. Diana set to work on the reconstruction. She ordered a park and a garden around the chateau, as well as a stone bridge over the Cher. After the death of Henry, the favorite was expelled by his legal wife, Catherine de Medici. This active lady also did a lot for the castle: she planted a second garden and refurbished the estate, having ordered the architect Primaticcio from Italy. In 1580, a two-story building was erected right on the stone bridge. Catherine bequeathed the estate to her daughter-in-law, Louise de Vaudemont. But the new owner of the chateau was widowed a year later. She dressed in mourning (it was white for the monarchs) and did not leave the castle until the end of her life. Her bedroom and furniture have been preserved. The villagers respectfully called her the "White Lady".

Further metamorphoses of Chenonceau

The castles of Europe were often transformed from defensive fortresses into palaces, then into prisons, then into estates and museums. The same fate awaited Chenonceau. The "White Lady" handed over the chateau to Francoise de Merkur, wife of the Duke of Vendôme. Then the estate began to gradually fall into disrepair. One wing of the castle was given over to the Franciscan monastery (they built a new drawbridge). In 1733, these lands were bought by the banker Claude Dupin. His wife converted Chenonceau into a salon, where she received prominent personalities of that era. Thanks to her democratic views, the castle was not damaged during the Revolution of 1789. Madame Pelouze became the new mistress, who wanted to return Chenonceau to its original appearance. In 1888, the Meunier family acquired the castle. Her descendants are now the owners of Chenonceau.

What to see in the castle

Of course, first of all, the chateau itself. The original interior of the Five Queens room has been preserved there. Each owner, following the Boye couple, contributed something of her own to the design of the castle. You should visit the gardens of Diana and Catherine with flower beds and labyrinths, decorated with sculptures and fountains. The main hall is located in the wing on the bridge. And in the basements there are huge kitchens with a set of dishes from those times. Do not forget that on the territory of the castle there are interesting museums France: medieval tapestries, furniture, carpets and wax figures. There is also a collection of paintings.

Chenonceau Castle - one of the most beloved, famous and visited castles in France

The lone donjon tower is all that today reminds of the first owners of the vast Chenonceau estate in the 12th century. The estate, where Chenonceau Castle rises today, belonged since 1243 to the de Mark family, immigrants from Auvergne. Their property was also the fortress located here, surrounded by water ditches and connected to the bank of the river Sher by a drawbridge. There was a mill next to the fortress. By the beginning of the XVI century. The expenses of the de Mark family significantly exceeded its income and they decided to put up part of the land for sale. This was taken advantage of by the quartermaster for financial affairs in Normandy at the court of Francis I, Thomas Boye, who bought out plot after plot until he became the owner of most of it. The rest was only a matter of time, and in 1512 Boye also bought the castle from the de Mark family.

Then everything happened according to the scenario already known from the history of Loire castles: the new owner, succumbing to the charm of the Renaissance, destroys the old fortress and builds a new country castle-residence on the site of the mill, abandoning thick walls and loopholes in favor of the lightness and beauty of the new style. From the old castle, he retained only the donjon. Although some elements of the fortifications still had to be preserved, taking into account the strategic location of the castle at the crossing over the river Cher

It so happened that the fate of several outstanding women, whose names have been preserved by history, are connected with the name of Chenonceau at once. The first was the wife of Thomas Boye - Catherine Bonet. Since her husband was employed in the service of the king, all the care of rebuilding the castle in accordance with grandiose plans wife lay on her shoulders. She coped with this task - the castle was a success, continuing to be a fortified fortress with four towers and a drawbridge, but at the same time possessing the elegance and beauty inherent in the Renaissance style. Gardens were laid out in the vast surrounding areas

In 1524, Thomas Boye died in Italy, where he went in the retinue of the king; his wife died two years later. After the transfer of ownership into the hands of their son Antoine, Francis I, whom she called to herself "insatiable", under the pretext of compensating for a number of violations in financial affairs for which Thomas was responsible, confiscated the castle. With plausible pretexts, King Francis I, obviously, had no difficulty) One gets the impression that all the owners of nice real estate in the Loire Valley sooner or later fell into the field of his attention and found themselves in places very remote from real estate)

After the death of Francis I, the castle passes to his son Henry II and then the script turns into a real love thriller

The second brilliant owner of the castle is Diana de Poitiers, a prominent lady at court, who was noticed and singled out by Francis I. Diana becomes the favorite of the future King Henry II under Catherine de Medici, being 19 years older than him. Despite her age, Diana managed to maintain her beauty, as evidenced by her famous portrait, where she is depicted naked with a deer. To preserve her youth, she plunged into icy water in the morning, rode a horse and walked on foot, then to fall asleep until noon. A beauty with extraordinary abilities, a masculine mind and character, she received Chenonceau Castle as a gift from the king, to the envy of Catherine. Henry II made another gift to his favorite, forgiving her part of the tax, which he personally returned to her. Thanks to these funds, Diane de Poitiers was able, from 1551, to undertake work to improve her property, including the redevelopment of the park and the orchard, which grew vegetables and fruits that were considered exotic at that time, such as artichokes and melons. On behalf of Diana, the depth of Cher was measured for the purpose of the proposed construction of a stone bridge, which was carried out according to the project of Philibert Delorme

In 1559, according to the prediction of Nostradamus, Henry II died from a mortal wound inflicted on him at the tournament by Montgomery's spear. Only after this tragic incident with the king at the tournament, Catherine was finally able to show Diana her true attitude towards her and ordered her to leave the castle, not even allowing her to see the king before her death. Diana retired to her castle of Anet, where she soon died at the age of 66.

With the death of Henry II, Catherine de Medici becomes regent under the Dauphin Francis II. It is interesting that Catherine, who did not enjoy the first years at the French court, location and attention, being considered a lady not particularly refined and educated, gave the order to build an extremely beautiful gallery on the bridge, which complemented the castle and gave it charm. During her reign, luxurious festivities were held in the castle in honor of the son of Francis II and his wife Mary Stuart. The architect Primaticcio designed the estate with extraordinary splendor: columns, statues, fountains, triumphal arches, obelisks ... A battery of 30 guns saluted in the courtyard. Later, Catherine organized another commemorative celebration in 1577, timed to coincide with the return of Henry III from Poland, to confirm the right of succession for her brother Charles IX. Then balls with dressing up were arranged, which later became the favorite pastime of the court. Catherine also ordered to build gardens on the other side of the estate. As a result, today the castle is decorated with two gardens: one - created by Diane de Poitiers, and the second - Catherine de Medici

In 1580, the architect Androuet Ducerceau realized the idea of ​​Philibert Delorme by building a new wing on the bridge over the river Cher. This two-storey structure consisted of two long facades cut through by rhythmically alternating windows, risalits, and lucarnes. The top floor, equipped as a ballroom, was richly decorated, like the rest of the castle.

The fourth lady, whose story is connected with Chenonceau castle, was the wife of King Henry III Louise de Vaudemont, for whom history assigned the nickname “white lady”, as she kept mourning for her husband until the end of her days, who was killed by a religious fanatic Catholic monk Jacques Clement. According to the customs of the Middle Ages, the mourning color of the dress was white. With Louise de Vaudemont, all the holidays in the castle stopped. She retired to the castle and most spent her time in prayer and communion with the Ursuline nuns

The castle was also a witness to the reign of the Valois dynasty and saw its decline, after three sons of Catherine de Medici, kings of France, died one after another: Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III. In 1589, Catherine died in Blois and power passed to Henry IV, husband of Queen Margot, Catherine's daughter. Henry IV of Navarre, became the ancestor of the Bourbon royal family

In the second half of the XVII century. Louis XIII lived in the castle for a short time, who became the last king to live in Chenonceau. After that, the castle gradually fell into disrepair.

Another outstanding woman was lucky enough to become the owner of the castle in the XVIII century - she became Madame Dupin, the wife of the wealthy landowner-banker Claude Dupin, who in 1733 inherited the castle from the Duke of Bourbon. Louise Dupin, a fan of the arts, science, literature and theatre, opened a fashion salon in Chenonceau, where the names of many celebrities of that era flashed, including Fontenelle, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Madame de Taney ...

Jean Jacques Rousseau became Madame Dupin's secretary and tutor to her daughter. He then wrote: “... There was a lot of entertainment in this beautiful place, the food was very good here, I became fat, like a monk. Here they liked to play music, read plays. I composed here a work in verse under the title "Sylvia Alley" after the name of the alley of the park, enveloping the Cher"

Madame Dupin spent her last years in the castle, surrounded by her village servants, who loved her very much. Thanks to this, Chenonceau did not receive any damage during the Revolution. She died in 1799 at the age of 93 and was buried in the park

In 1864, Madame Pelouze buys Chenonceau and restores the castle, this becomes her life's work. She returned the castle to the state in which Boye left it.

After the ruin of the Pelouze family, the castle was confiscated in 1888 and subsequently sold to Henri Meunier, one of the wealthy industrialists of the time. The castle to this day is the property of this family and is now one of the selected castles of the Loire

In 1914, Gaston Meunier, then a senator of the department of the Seine and Marne, converted the castle into a hospital, where he housed over 2,000 wounded until the end of the First World War. During the Second World War, there was a contact point for local partisans.

Today, Chenonceau Castle has been completely restored and is open to the public. The service premises house the Wax Museum, which reproduces scenes from the life of the castle with some of the most famous historical characters. So, there you can see Catherine Boyer with a minstrel, Diana de Poitiers on a hunt, Henry II and Diana, Madame Dupin, receiving Rousseau and Voltaire, she is Nattier posing, as well as a reproduction of the atmosphere of a military hospital in 1914