Which castle in France is the most famous? Photo and description of the castles of France

France - one of the few countries in whose territory preserved a huge number of medieval castles. However, this does not mean that luxury
"Chateau" are similar to each other - each region has a unique architectural style and, of course, history.

The most famous names of castles of France:

1. Versailles.
2. Chambord.
3. Fontainebleau.
4. St. Michel.
5. Blois.
6. If.

Many filmmakers were fascinated by the castles of France. The Three Musketeers (1948, George Sidney), Tristan and Isolde (1998, Fabrice Costa), Marie Antoinette (2005, Sofia Coppola), Angelica (1964) - a list of paintings created in luxurious interiors can be continued for a very long time.

Versailles

The royal castles of France enjoy incredible popularity among tourists, therefore opens our humble overview of Versailles. This magnificent palace and park complex, located in the suburbs of the capital, for a long time remained the residence of the French rulers.

On the site of the Palace of Versailles in 1623 there was a small hunting lodge. For perestroika, which took two years, decided to Louis XIII immediately after buying the whole estate.

Thirty years later, the expansion of the palace was continued by Louis XIV, which subsequently made Versailles the main residence. At that time, the chapel, the Battle Gallery, the Royal Opera and the Mirror Gallery appeared on the territory of the complex.

During the reign of Louis XV, the Salon de Hercules and the Small Trianon Palace were completed, and the King's Small Apartment was built. The last project was the reconstruction of courtyards, which was completed only in the XX century.

An example to follow

The park of Versailles is no less admirable than the decoration of the palace itself. A lot of terraces, magnificent lawns and flower beds, fountains, greenhouse and sculptural compositions - the park complex is one of the largest in Europe.

Versailles is certainly the most famous castle in France. Under the influence of its incomparable architecture, other palaces were built (Schönbrunn, Peterhof, Sanssouci).

Chambord

A small town Chambord in the department of Loir is known in many respects thanks to another royal residence. In 1519, Francis I organized a large-scale construction, and only 28 years later, Chambord Castle (France) appeared.

At the royal court at that time the chief architect was Leonardo da Vinci, and modern studies prove his participation only at the initial stage of the project. The great master died a few months before the construction began.

Chambord Castle (France) is called a masterpiece of the Renaissance. The grand staircase with carved ornamentation, large terraces, arches with royal emblems and sculptures decorated with sculptures - it will take many hours to get acquainted with all the splendor. Just imagine the scale: 426 rooms, 282 fireplaces and 77 stairs.

The park in the residence of the king, which encircles the wall at 32 kilometers, occupies about 5.5 hectares. Francis I of the forest in Chambord considered the best place for hunting.

Blois

In the department of Loir-et-Cher is also the royal residence - the castle Blois (France), which is under the protection of UNESCO.

The palace was built by the Dukes of Orleans in the 15th century. In 1498, Louis XII ascended the throne, for which these lands were native. A small town became the capital, and during the reign of Louis XII and Francis I experienced a period of rapid development.

On the orders of Louis XII, the construction of a new wing was begun, which contrasted markedly with the gloomy rooms of the castle. The building, filled with light, luxury and grace, fully corresponded to the character of the king himself.

The reign of Francis I also left a certain imprint. In 1515, the king ordered the erection of his own wing in the Renaissance style. However, after the death of his beloved wife, and then defeat in the Battle of Pavia, Francis I leaves Blois. After a rapid take-off, the castle falls into decay - the descendants of the king occasionally stop here. Later, the complex is put up for sale, but, not finding buyers, equip barracks for soldiers.

If you are interested in the castles of France, a photo with the names of magnificent palaces can only satisfy a little curiosity. It is much more interesting to look at the luxurious Blois castle live, go through the rooms decorated with expensive furniture, tapestries, paintings and objects of everyday life of the famous dynasty.

Chateau d'If (France)

In our review, the name of Francis I was mentioned more than once, but many associate the king, first of all, with the famous castle of If.

Fearing attacks from the sea, Francis I ordered the construction of a fort near Marseille, which lasted seven years (1524-1531). Outwardly the fortress looked quite impressive, but in fact the walls were not so reliable.

At the end of the 16th century, the castle was used to keep dangerous criminals. It was almost impossible to escape from here. The first obstacle was considered to be sharp stones on the shore, and the second was a current that even a hardy and healthy person could not cope with.

Literary glory to this place brought the novel "The Count of Monte Cristo", written in 1844-1845 by Alexander Dumas. According to the plot, the protagonist Edmond Dantes spends 14 years in prison, and then escapes from the fortress.

The work of the French writer was an incredible success. To date, filmed more than twenty films, including the Soviet picture "Prisoner of the castle If." France, Italy, the Republic of the USSR - in the summer of 1987 the film crew went on an exciting journey.

Dantes and the Iron Mask

It should be noted that for more than 100 years the castle of If has no shortage of tourists. There is a large exposition devoted to the novel "The Count of Monte Cristo". On the ground floor visitors can see the camera of Edmond Dantes, and on the second floor there is a camera of a mysterious prisoner named Iron Mask.

Dantes was a fictional character, and the Iron Mask was never kept in the fortress of If. However, thanks to two prisoners, this castle of France is one of the main attractions of Marseille.

Fontainebleau

Dazzling interior decoration, architecture, unique nature and, of course, the events that took place in the palace walls, cause genuine interest.

The castle of Fontainebleau (France), located 50 kilometers from Paris, is surrounded by a huge number of legends. There were rumors of otherworldly forces, who helped the rulers of the country to solve important issues several centuries ago.

Neighborhoods of Fontainebleau, rich in game, interested in Louis VII (1120-1180). The country residence looked more like a medieval fortress, and only in 1515 the already familiar Francis I. decided upon reconstruction. After his death, Ekaterina Medici and Henry II Valois took the "baton". However, a true fan of Fontainebleau was Napoleon Bonaparte, who filled the palace with brilliance, luxury and grandeur.

Today, travelers can visit the halls dedicated to the emperor: the throne room, the office and bedroom of Napoleon, as well as the Red Salon, where the abdication was signed.

Saint-Michel

The fabulous and impregnable castle of Saint-Michel (France) originally represented the Grave Mountain, surrounded by dense forests. However, under the onslaught of water, part of the shore disappeared, and instead of the mountain a rocky island appeared, on which one bishop built a chapel.

Thanks to the financial assistance of the lords, in 1017 the construction of the main monastic building began. The island was gradually built up, and the abbey itself was repeatedly on a siege position.

For over 300 years the monastery was used as a prison, and in one of the cells a cage for dangerous criminals was equipped. In 1863, Mont-Saint-Michel was granted the status of a national treasure, but in the era of the Great French Revolution the abbey was looted.

Several decades it took to restore the monastery. Many of the castles of France, the photos with the names of which are presented in our review, are popular among tourists. However Saint-Michel among them is a real "pearl" - the pride of the French people.