Azay-le-Rideau Castle (France)

Built between 1518 and 1523 the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau is located in Indre-et-Loire in the Loire Valley. This castle of the French Renaissance style of the Loire (with Italianate inspiration), is a historic monument since April 18, 1914.

The history of this castle began in 1119 when the first fortress was built by Ridel of Azay, one of the first lords to control the road between Tours and Chinon. Subsequently, the fortress was destroyed in 1418 by Charles VII.

At the end of the fifteenth century, Martin Berthelot, Master of the House to Deniers of the king, became the owner of this domain. The castle we see today was built mostly in the sixteenth century by the Mayor of Tours and Treasurer King François 1st, Gilles Berthelot. Today, the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau, dubbed the jewel, is the property of the state.

The castle consists of several rooms and state apartments, neo-Renaissance style since the decoration was reviewed in the nineteenth century. The sets are rich with magnificent tapestries of the sixteenth and seventeenth century. The best known theaters include: the lounge which is open by windows, the royal apartments, the "white room" and the "blue room".

The Château d'Azay-le-Rideau is located between the Indre and a wooded park, consisting of a main body and a wing bracket. Each corner of the castle is equipped with a turret. Its facades are made of chiseled stones reflecting off the water. The front door is itself, similar to the Roman arches of triumph, it is decorated with the initials of the creators of the castle. In the lower part, a salamander and ermine are represented symbols of King François 1st and Claude, his wife.

The castle stands on an island and is surrounded by a romantic park of the nineteenth century. It is a majestic English park.