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Loire. The Land of Castles
Sezione 1
Sezione 2
Villandry, Château
Marquis of Castellane. 1532
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The Château de Villandry,
located in Indre-et-Loire, is the last of the beautiful Loire Châteaus.
It was built during the Renaissance period and has many characteristic features of the time. This castle was inhabited neither by kings nor courtesans, but by Jean Le Breton, the finance minister of François I. In 1532, Jean Le Breton had the old fortress, which stood where the castle was later built, demolished.
The imposing building was erected in a purely French style following an important characteristic of the time: symmetry, which made this castle sit incredibly harmoniously with the surrounding nature. An example of perfect harmony were the gardens, which were laid out on three symmetrical levels. Sculptures placed everywhere and water fountains gave,
at every window of the castle, an incredible panoramic view of the French land. The descendants of Jean Le Breton kept Villandry until 1754, when I, Count of Castellane, became the owner. At that time, I was ambassador to King Louis XV and a member of a noble Provencal family. I decided to start renovating the interior. I made them more comfortable
and in a new neoclassical style. Despite the renovations, the most outstanding feature of this castle continued to be its magnificent gardens, which made it one of the most admired places in the Loire Valley.
Sezione 3
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