Angers

Angers, lying on the banks of the river Mayen, from ancient times has been busy the proud Celtic tribes, stubbornly resistant to invasion of the Romans. In the IX century, after many years of invasions Norman, Nerra Fulk, Count Angevin, erected a fortified castle here. In the 1228-1238 biennium. St. Louis added to the castle are a set of walls. Subsequently, the ensemble was an even more expanded at the Louis I, Duke Angevin, and when Louis II, who commanded here to build a Gothic chapel.

One time, Angers was the seat of "good king" Rene Angevin, while the King of Sicily and Jerusalem, which went down in history as a benefactor of his citizens, and a brilliant writer, and he loved the holidays, tournaments, and often arranged in the castle knights stadium. An ancient manuscript, illustrated with miniatures, which author was the King Rene, shows us that splendor with which the tournaments were held in Angers Castle, where they were arranged in cages and also to menageries of exotic animals.

Which came before a long time for the religious wars as the reason for the decline castle, and in 1585 Heinrich III ordered him to destroy. However, pentagonal fortress with its cylindrical tower was so powerful that they succeeded to demolish only the roof ostroverhie towers. Since coming to power of Henry IV of the demolition of the building had been suspended to allow the lock to make the festival on the occasion of the betrothal of Caesar Vendôme with Françoise Lorraine.

Inside the castle you can see the famous tapestry in the plot Apocalypse ordered Louis I Angevin in 1373. This incomparable series woven paintings, original component in the length of 140 meters, was carried out by Nicolas Batayem of sketches Ennekena de Bryuzha.

Wallpapers illustrate the latest book of the Bible - "The Revelation of St. John the Divine." In 1400 tapestry kept in the Archdiocese of Arlya, and since 1474 - in the church of St. Mauritius in Angers. These tapestries, disappeared in 1782, were discovered in 1848 canon Zhuberom, who made their restoration. Each painting is an image of St. John, taking part in the events and explaining them. The original signature had to remove due to their poor preservation.

The subjects performed in the tapestries, remain mysterious and allegorical, sometimes difficult to read the meaning of texts "Revelation of St. John the Divine." At first the picture presented by the plot of St. John, who orders the Lord, begins to describe the "Vision of them for the benefit of The Seven Churches", depicted in the form of chapels.

Symbols that are present in this scene is repeated in all the tapestries, in particular on the following: the tapestry, where St. John saw the Messiah, surrounded by symbolic attributes and characters, depicting the essence of the Universe. After the scene to worship the Messiah image of St. John in tears caused by the revelation of divine mysteries, after submission of the Lamb. Horsemen Apocalypse appear on horses of different colors, accompanied by the souls who died serving the Lord God. Upon recognition of the elected mysteries occurring in the presence of God and the angels. In scenes of great earthquakes, fire star and eagle natural disaster yawn after the first four trumpet. When the fifth and sixth time vostrubili pipes, chaos of the universe multiplied.

The following panels St. John gives the interpretation of prophetic signs seven trumpets and thunderous strikes symbolically eat the book, taken from the hands of an angel. After John enjoyed the harmony of heaven, is a narration about the adventures of two witnesses, rescued by God, on the imminent coming of the Messiah and the great day of the trial.

Further illustrated chapter on Satan, presented in different guises: in the form of a dragon, threatening the world, attacking at birth, which protects the church of St. Michael, and fight against the believers, in the form of sea monsters, and finally, in the form of earthly monsters.

After the disturbing scenes of space disaster Angels from the New Testament heralds the destruction of Babylon, and for the punishment atheist. Saved taken righteous God, while the wicked befalls anger the Lord and the angels cut them like bunches of grapes. " For depicting the heavenly car, accompanied by the anger of the LORD, to the emergence of three monsters and Babylon - the mother of abomination of the earth ", which fails into the abyss along with the three monsters, and Satan.

Ends of a light trellis of Jerusalem, which knows perfection of St. John, before you fall down in front of Trinity.

AMBOISE

AMBOISE entered in the history of approximately 503 years, when Klovis King francs, met with King Visigoth Alarihom on the island of St. John, situated amidst the Loire, slightly below the modern castle. 

AMBOISE repeatedly been subjected to raids of Norman, over time, was attached to the land Angevin graphs, and then became a private possession of the famous dynasty AMBOISE-Chaumont, and in 1422 passed by inheritance to Louis, Viscount de THOIRY. But on charges of involvement in a conspiracy against the king of the castle owner was convicted and deprived of his or her condition. 

Since 1431 the castle became part of the royal domain - the estate. It has stayed Karl VII. For example, ceasing to be a very fortress castle AMBOISE turned into a royal residence, and in this city have been given considerable privilege. In AMBOISE born children of King Louis XI and Charlotte of Savoy, and the Queen with the children chose AMBOISE as his personal residence, while the king preferred to keep his yard in Plessi-le-Tour. 

One of the major events in the rule of Louis XI was the establishment in AMBOISE 1 August, 1469 Order of St. Michael. On this day, the King gathered in the chapel of St. Michael vysokorodnyh fifteen barons and familiarized them with the charter of the Knights' Order, under which there was great political importance. 

The Order of St. Michael to symbolize nobility and vassals Royal Crown. Dressed with great pomp in long silk cloaks, otorochennye ermine fur and embroidered with gold ornaments in the form of cups hilt, in the wide-brimmed hat of crimson velvet, high seniors vowed to live by the laws of the church and chivalry. 

On this day AMBOISE became a place of grand ceremony to be included in the annals of the French kingdom. 

The Queen, who died in AMBOISE in 1483, held here life worthy of its title. About 150 people were her entourage and the environment, all serve to make it a pleasant stay in the castle: apartments were richly decorated, furnished with furniture, filled with the precious utensils. 

A Fortunate Life, which is held here in his younger years, the new King Karl VIII, explains his attachment to the place where he was born and raised. Here in AMBOISE, Square Karruar young dauphin at the age of 13 years met Margarita of Austria, granddaughter last Duke of Burgundy Charles bold that her father Maximilian of Austria had given him a wife. Margaret, who was only three years at the time of betrothal ceremony, lived in the castle AMBOISE until 1492, when she was very sad to return to Flanders, to give way to the Anne Bretanskoy on which Karl VIII married Dec. 6, 1491. 

From that time on the orders of Charles VIII began extensive work on the reconstruction of the castle. To finance the construction has had to increase the tax on salt. It was magnificent. "He wants to make his castle town" - did not resist the exclamation Florentine ambassador, when he saw drawings of the future of the castle in 1493. The area occupied by the castle, to be significantly expanded. The medieval castle has given way to a huge square monolith in the form of a trapeze, the court divided into three: the main courtyard of the apartments of King, "Abode of virtues" in the south and the court called "donzhonom", on the western tip of the high plateau. Two round towers screw - Minimskaya and tower Gyurto - represented a curious architectural innovation. In the decoration of the interiors at first dominated the French direction, then it made its own contribution Flemish artists, and certainly after the return of the French kings from the hikes in 1495 there were decorative elements of Italian origin. Furnishing was magnificent, tapestry - from Flanders and France, draperies - from Damascus, carpets - from Turkey. 

Extensive construction work to rebuild the castle-fortress graphs Angevin the residence worthy of the French Crown, were suddenly interrupted by an accident which occurred April 7, 1498. Charles VIII, accompanied the Queen on the gallery to look fashionable at the time the game ball, hit lbom on the low door, and after a few hours away. What to expect AMBOISE after the death of King, who was born here and died at the age of 28? 

He was succeeded by the Duke of Orleans, the future Louis XII. He enjoyed Privolny calm to the Loire Valley, like his father, a famous poet, Charles of Orleans, who also loved AMBOISE. But it was Louis XII gave to the castle BLOIS, where during his tenure, he launched a violent civil works and firmly Breton, along with Anna, the widow of the late King, where he married Jan. 8, 1499. However AMBOISE was not completely abandoned, it remained a royal residence, as well as here in ten years, Louise of Savoy lived with their children - Princess Margarita Valois, and the future of Francis I. 

Work on the reconstruction of the castle were resumed in the 1500-1501 biennium., And large supplies of stone allowed to continue the unfinished building. Since coming to power of Francis I lock acquires a new shine. From 1515 to 1518 he worked. King stayed here when he visited the banks of the Loire, this is what he called "a luxurious castle, and after the victory of Marinyanom he is back in AMBOISE in August 1516. Queen Claude has made here in the light of three of their children. 

AMBOISE located in the heart of European political life, because, again, it is here that the most important agreements were signed at the start of Francis I: Nuayonsky peace treaty with the King of Spain, the Concordat with Pope Leo X, a peace agreement with Switzerland, Treaty Cambrai ( "Ladies' world ") to Emperor Charles V and the London Agreement with Henri VIII. Francis I is prepared as a candidate for the throne of the Empire and the nobles had people from Germany. 

As a rule of Henry II of Catherine de Medici brought the AMBOISE, which brought up a lot of royal offspring. Subsequently, the castle was abandoned Valois dynasty. Arrived there Feb. 22, 1560 at the dawn of his reign the young king Francis II and his wife Mary Stuart, with his mother the Queen, with children, with his retinue and household was forced to flee as a result of a conspiracy in BLOIS Princes Conde, who broke at the beginning of the month. Sadly the famous plot to AMBOISE was severely depressed, and three years later, May 19, 1563 an agreement was reached between the queen mother Catherine de Medici and the Prince of Conde, ending the first rise of the religious strife and proclaimed freedom of religion for the sake of the highest aristocracy. Following these landmark events AMBOISE castle loses its meaning the royal residence, although there has stayed Louis XIII. In 1627 the castle was connected to the possession of Gaston Orleans, and in 1660 returned to the French Crown. But in reality, the castle was in poor condition and was not suitable for housing. In 1762 the Duke of Choiseul bought the castle, manor and surroundings AMBOISE, and in 1786 his heirs sold all the Duke de Pentevr. This prince, the grandson of Louis XIV, was the most wealthy nobles of that time, he owned more than 20 castles and mansions. In the years preceding the Revolution, he began work on the reconstruction of old and construction of new facilities at his residence, which in 1787 became the center of the Duchy-peerage. 

During the Revolution, the castle was confiscated and suffered from looting. It was arranged and the barrack, even equipped with factory pugovichnaya between the "Abode of the Seven Virtues" and the band of St. Hubert. However, later in the era of the First Empire, AMBOISE has the greatest distortion and loss attributable to members of Parliament, Roger Dyuko, who received the castle as a gift from the Senate Orleans, but without the means to contain it, could not find a better solution as to destroy large part of it. In 1815 the residence was restored Dowager Duchess of Orleans, which resulted in the order of land and revived the castle. 

In 1821, after the death of the Duchess of Orleans, her son, the future King Louis-Philippe, inherited the castle and estate AMBOISE. Louis-Philippe has acquired 46 homes and buildings surrounding the castle from the Minimskoy streets and near Gate Gyurto. His goal was to destroy these buildings to make room in front of the towers and walls, and thus provide access to the cellars, which stretched along the length of the castle and its services, ie, in the cellar, which was known as "old granary Julius Caesar." 

From 1848 to 1852 he worked. in the castle as a surprise guest stayed Arabic Emir Abd al-Qader, who held here in honor of four years confinement until October 16, 1852 Prince-President Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was not here in person to declare him the news of the freedom. 

Since 1974, the year of its founding, the Foundation supports the Castle of St. Louis in safety, and conducting the restoration work that began after the last war. Domestic gardens, in beautiful condition, attached to the castle extra charm and more than ever, it is at the end of the millennium, justifies the name given to TOURAINE - "Garden of France".

AZEY LE RIDEAU

Castle Azey-le-Rideau towers over the picturesque bend of the river Indre. The name "Azey" comes perhaps from Asiacus, the owner of the land. City Azey, founded back in the era of ancient Rome, turned with time into a powerful stone fortification from which to observe the sentinel wander through the Indre. 

In the XII century the castle belonged to Rideau or Riedel d'Azey - the man famous for his cruelty, and nicknamed "devil's spawn." Heinrich II Plantagenet took all of his possession, which were then returned to Philip-August Rideau son - Hugo, Tyurennskomu knight true vassal king, who took part in the Battle of Buvine. In the early XV century castle in apparently belonged to the Duke of Burgundy. Humiliation caused dauphin, the future Charles VII, and his army, led in 1418 to the massacre of a fortress: 354 people from the garrison were killed, and the castle and village - burned and looted. From this moment because of the ruins of the city got its name Azey-le brulee (burned). And only a century later at the site of the old fortress was built castle, which stands to this day. To better understand the characteristics of the new castle, it is necessary to restore the chain of historical events of recent years, the XV century. Charles VIII and Louis XII made military campaigns in Italy and were surprised the rapid flowering of art and culture on the peninsula. Returning to France, they were attracted to his court many Italian artists, who were forced to work for themselves. 

Loire Valley, which since the time of Charles VII chosen court, became a place where these artists have left their indelible footprint. The Italian influence, affecting the architecture of the castle AMBOISE and expressed in the conversion of the castle BLOIS, it soon became available in generic castles and mansions of the rich aristocracy, bourgeois. Gilles spit, the owner of estates in Azey-le-Rideau, was at the beginning of 1500 a major banker, whose father - Martin Berthelot - served as quartermaster in the Chamber of Finance of Louis XI and Karl VIII. For his part, Gil also made an excellent career and became the advisor to the King, the head of the Chamber of Accounts and the ruler of the city of Tura. His marriage with Philip Loeb, owner of the main part of the territory in Azey, gave him the opportunity to dispose of all the estate and to begin work on the construction of the castle. 

Financial and political support provided by Zhilyu some members of his family, hold administrative positions, allowed him to begin in 1518 an extensive reconstruction of a medieval castle. During the summer of that year, 120 masons, under the leadership of Maître Etienne Rousseau began work on laying a foundation. Initially, it was necessary to remove the remnants of the destroyed castle and drain the area to score piles, which was to keep a strong structure. For construction use white sandstone of the valley of the River Cher. Stone brought by river to the Port-au-Sha'lan, near Waller, from the remaining 10 kilometers of it carried on the carts. 

The castle with its unusual H-shaped marks the transition from Gothic to Renaissance, claiming a new concept for residential construction, which ceases to be a defensive fortress and becomes an elegant suburban residence. Only some specific details of the Gothic style, such as ostroverhie aspidnye roofs, and some defensive elements was made the spirit of the Renaissance. His special refined elegance of the building is under an obligation not only Maître Russo, sculptor and carpenter Mopuenu Pierre Jacques Toro, but also the wife of a noble liege - Philippe, who led the work, which gave the entire ensemble print elegant sophistication. Balzac, who, in the vicinity of Azey wrote his novel "Lily of the valley, described Azey:" climbed a cliff, I first admired the castle Azey, this diamond cut, pasted in the frame of water Andrew, stands on stilts, disguised with flowers. " 

Outside the castle is surrounded by angle protruding towers, linked together at the top of the false sentinel belt, performing the role of decorative ornament. Design features, traditional old ancestral castles, harmoniously combined with decorative elements of the facades are clearly gravitating to the style of the Italian Renaissance. Sculpted pylons, crowned by capitals that support the eaves; lyukarny with gables, decorated volute dosserets and Nimba counties in the form of shells, as well as the symmetry of the entire ensemble as a whole reveal antikiziruyuschee the influence of Italian architecture. This is demonstrated in the grand staircase in the entrance to which is connected together through two doors, which were reliefs salamanders - emblem of Francis I, and ermine - emblems of Claude de France. Three high flyer aborted landings with paired windows, Italian loggias, with a beautiful view of the gardens. Caisson stone stairs adorned with arches arches with sculptured images (XIX a) The Kings and Queens XV and XVI centuries. The new design of the ladder making it one of the most remarkable specimens of French Renaissance architecture. Thanks to new artistic developments narrow spiral staircase of medieval buildings a thing of the past. 

In the Renaissance in preference to stairs with straight wide marches, stairs, lit no loopholes, and the wide gap, giving not only the best coverage of the interior, but you can see the beautiful gardens. On the first floor of the castle is the Royal apartments, the Red bedroom and other rooms, including kitchen. On the second floor Dining Room, Ballroom, rest and peace I Francis Claude de France, as well as the blue bedroom. 

Zhilyu Berthelot was unable to complete the construction of the castle. His cousin Samblanse, Superintendent of Financial Affairs, was accused of embezzling money from the public purse, and hanged in Monfokone. Gilles fled to the free city of Metz, to protect yourself from possible trouble. There, in exile, he died ten years later. Francis I seized the castle and all its contents, and handed him the captain of his guards - Antoine Raffinu, which finished construction work. 

Subsequently, when Francis I finally moved his residence in Paris, meaning TOURAINE fell. Azey Chateau-le-Rideau passed into the hands of families Kosee de Gonnor, Sept Jelly de Lusignan and de Vassa. In 1603 built a chapel, served as a family burial place for the owners of the castle, which, since that time constantly succeeded one another. 

In the XVII century the kings of France, only occasionally visited Azey-le-Rideau: at 1619 Sep Jelly taken here of Louis XIII; possibly in 1650, stayed here Louis XIV. In the XVII century the castle was surrounded by office buildings destined for the maintenance staff and stables. Other work on the renovation have been taken in the 1845 Marquis de Benkur, owner of the castle, which had ordered the right to redo the tower front yard, built back in the Middle Ages, 20 years later, was built in the style of the other tower (from the same material, which used for centuries), to give balance to one of the facades. 

In 1871, after the defeat of the French army occupied the castle Prussian troops, commandeer it from the Marquis de Benkur; 19 February the same year, Prince Friedrich-Karl Prussian stayed in the castle with its own headquarters. Report that during the dinner, which served in the kitchen, a huge chandelier, stripped the castle set, hit the table, just not killing the prince. Friedrich-Karl felt that the assassination attempt on his life, his officers and a large labor cost to persuade him not to burn the castle in revenge. After the departure of the Prince and his officers returned to the castle to its rightful owners and was sold in 1904 due to financial difficulties within the family. The new owner, M. Artaud, in turn, sold the castle of State for 200000 francs, after which he finally was restored, and the surrounding park and beach by Andrew acquired their original appearance. Inside the castle was equipped museum of Renaissance, which kept the furniture, tapestries, household items and paintings. This should draw attention to a canopy bed that belonged to Marshal Pierre Filloy de la Barry, who died during the siege of Nice in 1705. This bed of silky cover, embroidered with colorful floral patterns set in the Blue Bedroom, and the Red Bedroom is another bed under the canopy of shtofnogo linen. This bed was formerly in the castle Effiat. Among the Renaissance furniture, decorated the halls of the castle, should mention the rest of the chest Francis I, decorated with columns, medallions, fantastic animals. In the kitchen is also a neat chest carved with two profiles in the foreground. Here, in addition, exhibited specimens sideboard, ceramic and metal cookware, grids, forceps, cutting forks, basins, jugs ... 

Collection of tapestries, stored in the castle include a panel of XVI century, entitled "Three Parks", conducted in Brussels and presented to the ball room with another tapestry of the same period of vegetative ornament. The other walls of this room is decorated with four large Flemish tapestries XVII century on biblical subjects: Reconciliation of Esau and Jacob, the Court of Solomon, Noah's Ark, and visit the queen of Sheba to Solomon. Dining room of the ground floor is decorated with Flemish tapestries XVI century on the subjects: Queen Semiramida, Royal Ambassador and Baltassarov feast. Gobelins Royal rooms are made on the sketches of Simon Vue on the plot of "Love Rinaldo and Armida." In the Blue Bedroom, we can see the castles of Versailles and Vinsensky two tapestries Manufactory Lille and scenes of hunting in other Manufactory of Beauvais tapestries. The museum also presents many Renaissance portraits of the kings of France and their families, among them - Francis I, Heinrich II, Catherine de Medici, Francis II, Charles IX, Heinrich III, Valois Margaret and Lev XIV.