Angers Castle
Anger Castle is located in the west of France in the city of the same name. It rises above the Men River on a hilltop and is the highest point of the area. Initially, the purpose of the building was to protect the Romans from enemy attacks. Later, the castle was rebuilt into a luxurious palace. Anger Castle is a interweaving of architectural styles and historical events.
This architectural masterpiece was erected in the 11th century on the site of wooden fortification. After some time, the castle was strengthened, having completed 17 high cylinder towers, which were closed with stone walls. By the end of the 13th century, the castle adopted a new image, the towers became similar to chess pieces of the rook. In order to save, one wall was left open with access to the river. It was believed that an attack on this side would be impossible. The walls of the castle stretched almost a kilometer long, and the total construction area reached 25 square kilometers.
After the construction of the castle, he turned into « the place of departure » of English kings, in particular, Richard I the Lionheart stopped here and negotiated. After his death, the castle was captured by the French king Philip III. The territory of Angen passed to France. During its existence, the Anger Castle several times became a place of contention between England and France. In the 15th century – it was a center of cultural life, where knightly tournaments were held.
Inside the castle were a chapel, chapels, royal apartments, gardens. When climbing the throne of Henry III, it was ordered to destroy the towers, reducing to the level of the walls. The material from the towers was used to build the streets of the city. In subsequent years, the castle lost its strategic purpose, became abandoned. Subsequently, a prison was opened in the castle.
During World War II, the territory of the Anger Castle was occupied by the Nazis, becoming the center of the Gestapo.
Today, the Anger Castle is famous for its tapestry « Apocalypse », which depicts St. John the Theologian. The total length of the paintings is 144 meters, the height – is about 5 meters. An additional building – Apocalypse Gallery was completed for its placement. A very large tapestry « Apocalypse », the creation of which took five years of work, is currently included in the list of wonders of France.
The entrance to the middle of the castle is the gates of Rene the Good – shuttle with three towers. Inside the building, the chapel of St. Genevieve was preserved, built in the Gothic style. The double-decker Royal Lodge adjoins her.
It also offers a beautiful garden with floral compositions.