Château de Tiffauges
The Château de Tiffauges is a medieval castle situated in the French commune of Tiffauges in the Vendée département.[1]
The castle is also known as the cChâteau de Barbe-bleu (Bluebeard's castle) after its most famous resident, Gilles de Rais, known as Barbe-bleue. It was here that Bluebeard perpetrated his atrocities.
Location
[edit]The castle is in the Marches (border lands) between Brittany, Poitou and Anjou and thus an important strategic point. It is positioned on a hill at the confluence of the Sèvre Nantaise and Crûme rivers, this position providing protection against assailants.
History
[edit]The castle was built between the 12th and 16th centuries. The notorious murderer, Gilles de Rais (c. 1405 – 1440) is associated with the castle.[1]
For a long time, the castle was abandoned and lay in ruins, the inner yard even used for a while as a football pitch by the local club, RST Tiffauges. The castle is now owned by the Conseil Général of Vendée. It hosts a series of spectacles and collections, including medieval war machines and an alchemy centre.
The castle has been classified as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1957.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Base Mérimée: Château de Tiffauges, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
External links
[edit]- Official web site (in French)
- Base Mérimée: Château de Tiffauges, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
- Photograph and article on the château de Tiffauges
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