Pagode de Chanteloup description and photos - France: Amboise (Topic)

Pagode de Chanteloup description and photos - France: Amboise. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photographs and a map showing the nearest significant objects. The title in English is Pagode de Chanteloup.

Photo and description

The pagoda, also called the Choiseul Madness, is a surviving part of the once luxurious, but ruined Baroque castle. In the 18th century, the castle belonged to Duke Etienne Francois Choiseul, the former foreign minister at the court of King Louis XV. For his not very successful activity in the field of foreign policy, as well as after accusations of opposition views, Choiseul was excommunicated from the court and in fact placed under "house arrest", having received an order to settle on his estate in Chantelou.

С the duke asked the architect Le Camus to build the pagoda. The 44-meter structure was erected in three years, the author of the project gave the building an eastern tiered shape, but filled it with European "content" - in the interior of the tower you can see elements of classicism - columns, balustrades, pilasters. The Duke of Choiseul himself considered his pagoda a symbol of friendship, a dedication to those of his friends who did not turn away from their disgraced acquaintance.

The tower is built of seven tiers, with each subsequent being smaller than the previous one. The upper tier offers a beautiful view of the Loire. The Chateau-de-Chantelou castle, standing next to the tower, was so beautiful that Choiseul's contemporaries compared it to Versailles - not only because of the size of the castle, but also because of the luxury of its interior decoration.

Unfortunately, after the death of the duke in 1785, the castle changed hands many times, was resold and was ultimately destroyed in the first half of the 19th century. Today, the pagoda of the Duke of Choiseul is surrounded by a quiet park with a pond.

By the way, the Duke of Choiseul managed to return to the courtyard from under house arrest. This was facilitated by the requests of Queen Marie Antoinette of Austria, wife of Louis XVI, who appreciated the pro-Austrian foreign policy of the duke. But Choiseul did not manage to achieve the former position and influence at the court.

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Topic: Pagode de Chanteloup description and photos - France: Amboise.