Henri Menier purchased the château from the Crédit Foncier in 1913. The Château de Chenonceau (Chenonceau Castle) is a manor house near the small village of Chenonceaux. The château was a gift from King Henry II to his mistress Diane de Poitiers who built the bridge and the gardens. Rubens, Primaticcio, Tintoretto, Corregio, Van Loo, Murillo, Clouet, Sassoferrato, Andrea del Sarto, Ribalta, Nattier, Veronese, Poussin, Van Dyck, Bassano, Zurbaran… And the 15th-century Florentine sculptor Mino da Fiesole… These masterpieces by some of the greatest European painters of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries reflect the history of the château and the leading role played by women in this history. The first woman to be involved in the construction of the Château de Chenonceau was Katherine Bohier. Château de Chenonceau in the Loire Valley is that dreamy castle built on water. When construction of the present Renaissance palace started in 1513, few could have expected that in the following century it would … Chateau de Chenonceau: The Chateau de Chenonceau is located in France's Loire Valley and straddles the River Cher. The château in its current form was built between 1513 and 1517, by Thomas Bohier and above all his wife, Catherine Briçonnet. The Château de Chenonceau is one of the most celebrated chateaux in the Loire Valley, France. Who built the Chateau de Chenonceau? It took decades to build and it had many owners. No Indigo : 0820 20 90 90info@chenonceau.com. The current manor was designed by the French Renaissance architect Philibert Delorme. No Indigo : 0820 20 90 90info@chenonceau.com. The Château of Chenonceau, "the Château des Dames" An architectural masterpiece, property of the Crown and then a royal residence, Château de Chenonceau is a truly exceptional site by its original design, but also its history: loved, managed and protected by women, including Diane of Poitiers and Catherine de Medicis, it is also known as the ‘Château des Dames’. The history of the Château de Chenonceau is defined by a an almost uninterrupted succession of women who built, embellished, protected, restored and saved it. This room belonged to King Henry II's favorite mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to whom offered Chenonceau as a gift. First opened to visitors in 1913 by the owners, Chenonceau still hosts crowned heads, statesmen and leading personalities. For the historical background, the “Château des Dames” was built in 1513 by Katherine Briçonnet, and successively embellished by Diane de Poitiers then Catherine de Medici. Romantic Château de Chenonceau celebrated its official 500 th anniversary at the start of 2013. On his death, his brother Gaston, a progressive deputy and later senator, transformed Chenonceau into a military hospital for the duration of the Great War. The Chateau de Chenonceau is located in the Loire Valley in central France. 120 beds were installed in the two galleries above the Cher. The bridge over the river was built between 1556-1559. Discover everything you need to know about Château de Chenonceau—a hiking attraction recommended by 7 people on komoot—and browse 110 photos & 2 insider tips. The Château de Chenonceau is a French château spanning the River Cher, near the small village of Chenonceaux in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France.. https://www.galeriemagazine.com/10-of-the-most-beautiful-chateaux-in-france It is one of the most well-known châteaux of the Loire valley. Château de Chenonceau is the second-most-visited château in France behind the Palace of Versailles. The castle is actually built over the river! From 1914 to 1918, the Château de Chenonceau was converted into a military hospital. During the Second World War, the Grand Gallery at Chenonceau became the sole point of access to the free zone, and the Menier family helped to smuggle out people fleeing the Nazi tyranny. Thomas Bohier and his wife Katherine built the chateau in the 16th century. Château de Chenonceau is one of the oldest and most beautiful castles in the France that is today only surpassed by the might of the famous Versailles in Paris. Several families have called the Chateau home. Château de Chenonceau is therefore popularly known as “the ladies’ chateau.” The chateau was built in the early 16th century by Thomas Bohier, Chamberlain to King Charles VIII of France, who purchased the site and demolished the old castle and a fortified mill that stood there to make way for the chateau. This dedicated space, in the “Gallery of Domes”, pays tribute to the memory of all those who helped treat over 2,250 wounded here, during the full four years of the Great War. Vérifiez votre boîte de réception ou vos indésirables afin de confirmer votre abonnement. Through the many owners, came several changes and renovations of the Chateau. Enter your email adress to suscribe to our newsletter. Nick-named the « Château de Dames », the Château de Chenonceau is the result of the women who lived there.This château is the second most visited in France after Versailles, with over 1 million visitors each year. Château de Chenonceau is therefore popularly known as “the ladies’ chateau.” Photo credit: Ra-smit/Wikimedia The chateau was built in the early 16th century by Thomas Bohier, Chamberlain to King Charles VIII of France, who purchased the site and demolished the old castle and a fortified mill that stood there to make way for the chateau. Created in the early 1500’s by Thomas Bohier, the chateau is now a historical site, which greets its visitors every day with floral arrangements from the castle’s onsite floral workshop. The current château de Chenonceau was built between 1514 and 1522 and replaced a medieval castle. The current château was designed by the French Renaissance architect Philibert de l'Orme. Here are more facts about Chateau de Chenonceau. The history of the Château de Chenonceau is defined by a an almost uninterrupted succession of women who built, embellished, protected, restored and saved it. This exceptional woman was the first to draft a Code of Women’s Rights, with the assistance of her secretary, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who enjoyed a period of serene happiness at Chenonceau that is described in a number of his works. Or on? The Château de Chenonceau is a manor house near the small village of Chenonceaux, in the Indre-et-Loire département of the Loire Valley in France. It was built by Thomas Bohier, Chamberlain to King Charles VIII of France. Hotels near Chateau de Chenonceau: (0.46 mi) La Maison de Famille (0.53 mi) Auberge du Bon Laboureur (0.50 mi) Hotel & Restaurant la Roseraie (0.78 mi) HOTEL Clair Cottage (1.05 mi) La Haute Traversiere; View all hotels near Chateau de Chenonceau on Tripadvisor It was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before its first mention in writing in the 11th century. Chenonceau is home to an extraordinary collection of furniture, tapestries and paintings. The ownership has been passed through several monarchs since it was built. In 1559, on the death of Henry II, killed in single combat in a tournament by the captain of his Scottish guard, Gabriel Montgomery, his widow Queen Catherine de Medici, had Diane return Château de Chenonceau to her, and gave her Chaumont-sur-Loire in exchange. Chateau de Chenonceau or the “Château des Dames” is located in Touraine, in the Val de … In the 18th century, after the château was purchased by her husband, it was Louise Dupin, lady of the Enlightenment, who welcomed to Chenonceau the greatest scholars, philosophers and academicians in France to her famous literary salon. In 1535, King Francis I incorporated it into the Crown Estate as part of a debt settlement. 1. Later, King Henry II decided to offer it not to the Queen, but to his Favourite, Diane de Poitiers, “in full right of ownership, seisin and possession, completely, peacefully and perpetually, to dispose of as her own and true patrimony.” This artificial exit of Chenonceau from Crown Lands meant that it was saved, two centuries later, from the French Revolution. Château de Chenonceau is a French castle, situated on the River Cher, (in the commune of Chenonceaux) near Amboise, in Indre-et-Loire.. Château de Chenonceau History. Her husband, a tax collector for King Francis I, began the construction in 1515 but died before finishing it. The current château was built in 1514-1522 on the foundations of an old mill and was later extended to span the river. Built on the site of an old mill and surrounded by formal Renaissance gardens it is a spectacular sight and a must visit location. The chateau is one of the most beautiful palaces built in French history. Amongst the festivities she held here, she managed the Kingdom of France from her study, the Green Cabinet. The château's elegant sixteenth-century architecture, the way the structure spans the Cher River, and its storied past (Chenonceau is also known as the "Château des Dames," having been inhabited by notable noblewomen across its life, including Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de… He met all of the operating costs, as he did at Noisiel, headquarters of the Menier chocolate factory, where he set up a second hospital. On the ground floor, a highly efficient operating room was equipped with one of the first X-ray machines. This unique chateau near Amboise, crosses the river and marks history. The château was built on the site of an old mill on the River Cher, sometime before its first mention in writing in the 11th century. It is located near small village Chenonceaux in the Loire Valley and was originally built over the river Cher in the 11th century. Chenonceau was protected from the hardship of the revolution by Madame Dupin. The spectacular Château de Chenonceau is an architectural mixture of late Gothic and early Renaissance elements and, with the integral bridge over the river Cher, is one of the defining Chateau of the region. On 10 July 1559, Queen Catherine de’ Medici, widow of Henry II, quickly deposed Diane de Poitiers and installed the authority of the young king, her son, at Chenonceau, amidst Italian pomp and splendour. From 1914 to 1918, the Château de Chenonceau was converted into a military hospital. Château de Chenonceau spans the River Cher, near the small village of Chenonceaux. The first château was a medieval château dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, of which only the dungeon remains: the Tour des Marques. Château de Chenonceau - History and Facts. The population of permanent residents hovers about 400, as of 2012, but there is a large influx of tourists during the summer months, because the village adjoins the former royal Château de Chenonceau, one of the most popular tourist destinations in France. In 1535, the château was seized from Bohier’s son by King Francis I of France for unpaid debts. The Strong Women Behind the Château de Chenonceau Katherine Bohier – From a Family Home to a Royal Residence . The first château was a medieval château dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, of which only the dungeon remains: the Tour des Marques. Finally, in the 19th century, the château was the stage for the success of Madame Pelouze, born Margaret Wilson, before a financial scandal led to her ruin… and the resignation of the fourth president of the French Republic, Jules Grévy, following the case of embezzlement by his son-in-law, Daniel Wilson, brother to Madame Pelouze. Built between 1514 and 1522, the castle was built on the basis of an old mill and later extended to the entire river. It is built right over the River Cher. Although built by men, and owned for the most part by them, the Château de Chenonceau story is really that of the women who finished it, maintained it, cherished it, and made it what it is today. Enter your email adress to suscribe to our newsletter. The history of Chateau de Chenonceau The mistress, the queen and the widow. Vérifiez votre boîte de réception ou vos indésirables afin de confirmer votre abonnement. The Château de Chenonceau is one of the most famous castles in France, across the Cher River, near the small village of Chenonceau in the Loire Valley of France. 2,254 wounded soldiers, most of whom were very seriously hurt, were cared for here until 31 December 1918. The Women of Château de Chenonceau. Chateau de Chenonceau : the Women’s touch. The US president, Harry Truman, visited the château on his first trip to France. CHANEL 2020-21 Métiers d'Art Show Finale. It is an emblem of elegance. Her beautiful daughter, Simone Menier, wife of her son George, and staff nurse, administered this hospital, treating the wounded and actively collaborating with doctors and surgeons working on site, until the closure of the establishment. This chateau has a long and rich history of its previous owners. Chenonceau, the Ladies’ chateau, has an interesting history as royal residence in the Loire and center of power in the 16 th-century Kingdom of France.. The chateau is distinctive in being built across the river. Chenonceau was the castle of the lords of Marques originally, but in 1513 it was the property of Thomas Bohier, the treasurer of Louis XII. While these formal or aesthetic concerns were previously evidenced in other Val de Loir abodes (Chenonceau, Blois, Azay-le-Rideau…), the geometric design of the Chambord château is unique, having been necessitated neither by uneven terrain nor by the conserved remains of earlier buildings. The château in its current form was built between 1513 and 1517, by Thomas Bohier and above all his wife, Catherine Briçonnet. But the castle has not always looked like that. The project is located in Chenonceaux, Indre-et-Loire (37), Centre-Val de Loire, France.The architectural style is renaissance. Her daughter-in-law, Louise de Lorraine, wife of King Henry III, became a widow in turn, and moved into the château in her mourning. Gaston Menier, senator of Seine-et-Marne, and owner of Chenonceau at the time, decided to take part in the national war effort and offered the Ministry of War to set up a temporary military hospital in the château, covering all the expenses himself. 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