Montreuil-Bellay Castle in France, Loire Valley resort
Rating: 7,6/10 (701 votes)  Montreuil-Bellay Castle was built in the Middle Ages, in the XI century, by Count of Anjou, Fulk Nerra. Fulk Nerra ceded the castle to Du Bellay, his vassal. In 1150, the castle was partially destroyed as a result of the siege, despite the fact that the underground passages allowed communication with the fort of La Mothe-Bourbon. Initially, the castle was a large dungeon surrounded by moats and a double fortress wall. This wall was dilapidated during the siege of the castle of Geoffroy by Plantagenet, the English king. Despite this, the castle was impregnable. The besieged were defended by the walls of the keep itself – in it they took refuge. There was a mill, a well and an oven near the donjon. Among the famous owners of the castle, one cannot but mention Guillaume du Bellay, the ruler of Piedmont and Turin, who possessed a myriad of informants who were scattered throughout the most distant corners of Europe and notified him of all the changes in the world. This contributed to his success in political and diplomatic activities. The next owners of the castle Melain-Tancarville and d'Arcourt in the 15th century completed a fortress wall with several gates. Some of them have survived to this day: the Gate of Saint-Jean, the Mill Gate, the Boel Gate and the New Gate. The d'Arcourt family restored the castle completely and gave it the appearance that appears to visitors today. Today, Montreuil-Bellay Castle – it is a complex composition of several castles:"Chatelet" - a residential building of the 13th century, Small Castle, New Castle. In the courtyard between the Small Castle and the New Castle there is a square kitchen building, which is interesting for its low arches. This room is connected with the New Castle by a wide staircase, along which the Duchess de Longueville rode into the castle on horseback. Of interest is the chapel, which preserves ancient frescoes and pyramidal foundations of the northern towers, the purpose of which is still not clear.   We also recommend reading Corral del Carbon in Spain, Granada resort Topic: Montreuil-Bellay Castle in France, Loire Valley resort. |
