Angers Castle

Along the Loire are scattered over 200 castles. Angers castle is located directly in the old capital of the French region of Anjou - Angers, which is situated on both banks of the river Maine, where there is eight kilometers from its confluence Loire.

Angers castle was built by King Saint-Louis between 1228 and 1238 and is a model of feudal architecture. Its walls are of dark shale in beds of white stone thus obtaining the white horizontal joints that act very effectively to viewers. The former defensive trenches have been transformed into beautiful gardens. Very often you can see how the deer graze.

Religious wars in the late 16th century led to major damage and destruction in Angers. The poor state of the castle leads to Henry III as he ordered its destruction in 1585. The cylindrical towers of the fortress were split in a pentagonal base, and the main roof was completely removed as it began to split. When Henry IV ascended the throne, the destruction of the palace had been stopped hence starting the overall reconstruction of the palace in 1950.

One of the places in the palace has the largest and oldest carpet in the world. This most ancient and substantial padding length is 168 meters, height is 5 m and holds about 70 different boards. The creation was created specifically for Angers, by order of King Lou I, Duke d'Anjou (brother of Charles V).

For five years, from 1375 to 1380, the selected Parisian weavers under the direction of royal painter, Jean de Bandol embroidered with colors the last and most mystical text from the Bible - Gospel of John. This work is kept separate in a special air conditioned building to the castle.

The metal corridor and thick fireproof walls are reminiscent of the atomic shelter. The heavy plating of gold ribbon riches each piece of the carpet. The light plays its creases and moves the pieces giving the feeling of momentum and gradually graduates the peak carpet scene, The Fall of Babylon.

Today this interesting castle, which is the last before the confluence of the Loire at the ocean, has the potential for unique walks and an option to take the castle for rent for a period of time, enabling tourists to stay longer and walk among the colorful alleys and covered with moss rock walls of the magnificent park, which is a masterpiece of gardening art.