Beynac Castle
Beynac Castle dominates the town of the same name of its high hill, reaching 150 meters. Only the French settlement was at the beach at the base of the hill. Beynac is a unique medieval fortress, which at first glance looks pretty creepy. This strict view is easily melted by the beauty of the local French countryside which has the river Dordogne passing and in turn is reflected in the sunlight.
The changing colors of the stones of the fortress Beynac and the overall view of the sun bathed in the waters of the river and hill Beynac is one of the favorite places in France of various artists and photographers during all seasons. The castle is perched on a limestone hill on the north bank of the river Dordogne. To the top of the hill there is a road, three kilometers long but the paths through the town are only a 15 minutes walk away.
Fortress Beynac was built at the time when crossing the river was the only way to pass from the traders and invaders. The castle was built in the 12th century by Baron of Beynac. He built Beynac to protect this strategically important crossroads. The very high rock fortress has natural protection from ill-wishers, but from the rest Beynac is protected by a double wall to which there is a natural gully. In practice, the palace was impregnable.
During the Hundred Years War and many battles between the French and the English troops Beynac still managed to remain a French possession until the fortress Castelnaud, which is only a few hundred yards away, was conquered by England.
Beynac Castle crosses briefly into the hands of Richard the Lionheart, after the original owner dies leaving no successor. The King, however, soon died and the castle became the property of his trusted servant Mercadier. In the following centuries the fortress was renovated and expanded frequently. Beynac changed owners a lot of times, but over the time had been neglected and did start to erode.
Beynac Castle however, was rescued in 1962 when purchased by Lucien Grosso. He threw a lot of money into the castle for restoration and turn it into a historical monument. With this status Beynac existed since 1944, when the French Ministry of Culture included it within the list.
Today Beynac castle has become an attractive tourist attraction, which tells the story of the area. There are some interesting dungeons, kitchens and living quarters that everyone wishing to explore may do so. Some lounges are quite impressive. In Beynac Castle you can see the beautiful murals of the 15th century and also the 17th century staircase.
