the main Feeder Villalandry Castle France History briefly. Sights of France - Villalandry Castle

Villalandry Castle France History briefly. Sights of France - Villalandry Castle

In this part, which I was adjusted a few days ago, I will show you another castle of the Loire Valley. Considering my dislike for the lampshades of the feet of tourist attractions, it would be strange to expect that we will come there. This is one of the most famous French castles, the stories about him and his photos are clogged with tons of paper guides and terabytes on the Internet.

But I still turned it on the route. There was several good reasons for that. And Villalandry not only did not disappoint us, but also became an ornament of our holiday and route.

So what were those good reasons that prompted me to add Wilderry to the route? What is so unique in it?

First, gardens. I love any gardens and plants. I love tomatoes - sniff and eat; Flowers - sniff, admire and photograph; Regular gardens - inspect, rustle pebbles under their feet on the tracks and admire the grace of forms and the ability of the masters of top art; English parks - Well, you already understood ..

I especially are interested in parks and gardens that are not just filled with plants, but created with some meaning, idea. Here is Villalandry's gardens this is just that an amazing work of art. This is a picturesque fabric, and theatrical layouts, and the living embodiment of the legends, the main roles in which plants play.

(photo from here)

Secondly, the history of the castle. But it is not that part of it, in which the vendensious Officers and intrigues of the courtiers (which, by the way, never happened here), and the recovery period, reconstruction, - in fact, the history of one family, which dedicated all his life to the revival, recreating this castle and his gardens . And they did it with incredible scrupulusity and love, with careful and deep penetration into the essence, in the idea and idea.

Well finally This castle was radically different from the chamber and gentle, as the Lady Casket, Aze-Le Rido, in which we already visited (if someone suddenly did not read).

Generally speaking, "Loire Castles" is a separate tourist attraction offered in any travel agency. I did not want to join the general tourist carousel stream, so I took out several locks for the vacation program, which would be as much as possible to each other. In the end, even though they turned into a lollipop lollipitis, and the real history of real people, a series of times, feelings, emotions, and events are based on them.

So what is unique Villalandry? Well, first, he is not a royal residence, and not even a gift for some curtain or favorite. The first owner was Jean Le Breton - Minister of Finance under Francis I.

Once there was a feudal fortress here, in the donjon of which on July 4, 1189, a peace treaty was signed between recognizing his defeat by the King of England by Henry II Plantagenet and the King of France Filipp-August. Exactly two days after that, Heinrich II passed away.

And it is on the ruins of this fortress in 1532 and began the construction of Jean Le Breton. He was fond of architecture, possessed an excellent taste, and as a result of Villandry he turned out to be harmonious, elegant, perfectly inscribed in the landscape and rather concise, deprived of the turrets, conic roofs and other Ryushechkov.

Part of the donzhon, where the famous document was signed, by the way, remained. This architectural element, like the teeth on the top of the wall, resemble the historical destination of the predecessor of Villalandry.

Jean Le Breton was an ambassador to Rome, where he was inserted by architecture, with interest he studied the art of gardens device. And all this, then, with taste and great success, applied to Villalandry. However, the subsequent owners over the past decades did not fight much about the preservation of this beauty. And by the beginning of the 20th century, when it came to inspect Joachim Carvallo, the lock due to the changes made and the added windows was more like a barrack, and there was no trace from the garden.

Joachim Carlock at that time was a promising scientist, a physician who, being a favorite laureate studentKarl Rice Nobel Prize, under his leadership engaged in research in the field of digestive physiology. But he threw a promising career, bought Wilderry and together with his wife Ann Coleman, an American from the wealthy family of industrialists, took the recreation of the initial appearance of the castle.

(photo from here)

He deepened in historical documents, looking for witness of eyewitnesses, conducted entire research, led the works of Masonic and gardeners, and eventually succeeded incredibly! Now there are several interactive designs in the garden, allowing all visitors with the help of the chronicles of the chronicles to make themselves an idea of \u200b\u200bthe volume of work that I had to do Mr. Kalvallo.

In 1924, he founded the "Historical House" society, which united all owners of such real estate. And it was he who became the initiator of the idea to open these castles to the public. Willandry he opened for visitors in 1920. Now his business continues his great-grandchildren Henri Kalvalo.

We started their inspection with interiors. There is something to see. Genuine household items, furniture, beautiful parquet, magnificent collection of painting. And, of course, beautiful views from the windows overlooking the garden and the garden.

And my favorite topic - kitchen! Copper, lossy sides of the pelvis and a frying pan, wrapped in a century of paths on the stone floor, oven, light aroma of smoked prunes and dressage chairs - all my love, yes.

Baby with a cradle.

Bedroom with windows overlooking the garden.

Children's bedroom with a number of books on the shelf, with toys and a cozy bed.

And a games room with a huge doll house in the form of Villalandry himself and the theater of glove dolls.

Another treasure is the ceiling in the eastern living room. He was brought here Carallo in 1905. This ceiling was part of the County Palace of Mound, built in the XV century in Toledo. The palace was dismantled, and three of his four Moorish wooden wooden, inlaid ceilings are now in Madrid in the National Archaeological Museum, and the fourth, thanks to Mr. Kalvallo, can see all visitors to Wilderry. It's just a masterpiece! Incredibly thin, complex work that generates a fantastic game of volumes, colors and light. Very nice!

And everywhere flowers! In each room, several VAZ filled with fresh, fragrant, fragrant, cut here, in the garden, bouquets.

Villalandry's gardens are unique. I did not make a reservation - it is the gardens. Because it is not a single garden, but a whole complex of different gardens. Pharmaceutical garden with herbs and drugs, ornamental garden, love garden, music garden, water garden, sun garden, created recently. They are all full of symbolism, everyone has its philosophy and legend. You can and you need to walk for hours, enjoying and finding something amazing and beautiful at every step.

The garden of love consisting of "icons", in which the love is an passionate, Love windy, Love is tragic.

Garden-garden was created in the image and likeness of the monastery "garden" gardens. Here all the ornaments are composed of chosen vegetables, greenery, spicy herbs. Twice a year, the garden is planted with vegetables. Each year, the exposition changes in accordance with the considerations of harmony, preserving the fertility of soil and short-range agriculture. Forty types of vegetables and herbs is planted here in each season, watering is carried out using an automatic system located under the surface of the Earth.

From different points from the garden and from different premises of the castle, different types of garden are opened, each of which is incredibly good.

There is also a small shop in which you can buy seeds and seedlings of all that is grown in Villalandry's gardens.

I was not kept and brought from there a wonderful souvenir - seed sets. This year, because of all unparalleled events, they did not work out, but they have a big shelf life - next year I still have time to try. If the result is not ashamed to show, I will definitely demonstrate it, do not doubt!

In the meantime, they lie and remind that dreams and stubborn labor can give a rich yield of joy and beauty, which people will be able to enjoy a lot of generations forward.

Address: France, 15 km west from the city of Tura
Start of construction: XVI century
Ending construction: XVIII century
Main attractions: Gardens, Donta, Interior Decoration of the XVIII Century Castle
Coordinates: 47 ° 20'26 "N, 0 ° 30'51" E

Content:

Short description

The amazing beauty of the Gardens of Villalandry castle, his luxurious interior decoration and the enchanting appearance, the hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world attracts attention annually.

This is not surprising, almost every traveler after visiting the French castle Villalandry, sharing his impressions, speaks an amazing, literally magic atmosphere, which "saturator" every centimeter of the castle and the land adjacent to it. "Barely get to the territory of Villalandry Castle, it seems that you will be transferred for many centuries ago.

Two "wings" castle

Everything around the luxury, about the beautiful taste, about the desire of a person to create a unique interior who does not have equal in the world, "- about such words can be heard from people who have already managed to visit the elegant castle of Villalandry," well "located on the shore of the longest and The beautiful French Loire River, not far from the town of Tour.

However, the sake of justice, it is worth noting that France is rich in historical monuments of history and architecture, but Villalandry Castle enters the selected number of Loire castles, which, of course, cannot but affect its popularity among tourists and people who want to meet in more detail with history France, the peculiarities of its culture, national traditions.

View of the main castle tower

Villalandry Castle - History

The history of the castle leads its origin from the 1200ths. In those distant times, the ancient structure, rather, resembled a fortification, rather than the castle and, of course, was a "lackless piece" for many ill-wishers. However, according to historical facts, it was in the walls of this fortress that the most important meeting of the two kings of France and England occurred. On June 4, 1189, a peace treaty AZE-le-Rido was signed between the countries in favor of the French king Philip-August.

The fortified fortress of Villalandry for many more centuries was most likely a pier for soldiers than an elegant castle with large rooms and a luxurious interior. Only in the middle of the 1500s, when the ownership of the castle was transferred to the state secretary of Francis I Jana Le Breton, this structure is experiencing its second birth.

Water Channel View

Guiding on the orders of the head of state by construction of no less luxurious castles Shambor and Fontainebleau, Jean Le Breton decides to engage in the construction of his own possession, which would benefit from the usual, for the time, palaces and castles. His plans included the construction of a truly luxurious, impressive architecture of the castle, which would differ from the existing harsh fortresses relating to the Epoch of the Middle Ages with its festive species. To embody their ideas to life, Jean Le Breton orders to demolish almost all the ancient buildings of Villalandry, with the exception of the main tower located inside the fortress (DONZHON).

View of the castle and the main tower

It is not known how long it continued the construction of a new building, but the start date of construction in historical sources is as the 1536th year. Compare with the Earth an ancient castle, Jean Le Breton builds a new building, resembling an openwork horseshoe, whose main entrance goes to the shore of the famous Loire. According to many modern architects, the two "wings" of the buildings are made in the classic style of the Renaissance. For them, the pretty impressive sizes of the windows framed by pilasters (semi-colonels), crowned with capitals; Spiral curls with, so-called, "eye" in the center; Niche, referred to in architectural circles by Timpan. Then the arched galleries were built, which decorated both sides of the yard.

View of the Garden of Love in the castle of Villalandry

Jean La Breton on the instructions of the monarch repeatedly visited Italy with a diplomatic mission, which gave a public official to close to get acquainted with the unique masterpieces of Romanesque artists, whose creations belonged to the era of Renaissance. Among them and unique paintings of amazing garden "ensembles", striking with their clear geometry and harmony with the architecture of the building. Jean Le Breton, taking as the basis seen in Italy, as decides to replace the bulky fortress walls of a lively hedge. However, French gardens in Villalandry Castle occupy a large square, than their "Italian patterns".

In 1754, the castle goes to the ownership of Marquis de Castelana, which decides to produce a new reconstruction of the castle of Villalandry.

View of the Gardens Villalandry on the side of the castle

However, in its plans, not restoration works destroyed under the influence of the time of the building of the building, and its restructuring in the architectural style of his time. Then there were several models of window openings that became significantly smaller and got an arched frame. In addition, balconies were attached, new rooms were added at the expense of the former colonnade, the place of which was now taken by the walls. In this form, the castle existed almost two centuries.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Villalandry castle is experiencing another reconstruction. Dr. Carvalo's outstanding and well-known head of the Association of Historical Monuments, which has heard a big connoisseur of the world of the beautiful, presents the idea of \u200b\u200breturning the castle of Villalandry his original appearance.

Gardens Villalandry

This decision was almost immediately approved by the government, which allowed Dr. Carvalo to take into their own hands all the organizational and construction moments relating to the incarnation of his idea into life.

According to modern historians and archaeologists, the appearance of Villalandry's castle, including the territory adjacent to it, was reconstructed only partially. So, for example, the window openings acquired their original appearance, the Arcade Gallery was restored, the gardens were transferred, but the construction work did not affect the southern side of the facade of the building and the inner interior of some premises of the castle itself.

Villalandry Castle - inner luxury

Traveling around the world and admiring the luxury or, on the contrary, the asceticism of the inner decoration of castles and palaces, the tourist, being for the first time in the French castle of Villalandry, will be extremely surprised to see the magnificence and wealth that this castle is so famous for the whole world.

Dining room

Indeed, the inner interior is striking with its beauty, in whatever the room is not a traveler. In many of them, you can see the seats and chairs of the XVIII century, made of precious wood and upholstered with a silk cloth produced on the famous weaving factory in the city of Tura, which, by the way, is still functions. They admire their beauty bedrooms, which in the castle there are quite a lot and intended for both guests and for the owners of Villalandry and their children.

The room of Prince Zheroma was restored, which, as is known from the story, was the younger brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, and who for several years was owners of Villalandry still during the existence of the French Empire.

Kitchen Castle

The red color of the room speaks for itself: Furniture made of expensive breeds of mahogany; Curtains in the tone of the furniture; Walls draped by red cloth - all this emphasizes belonging to the greatest, richest and powerful empire.

It is impossible not to say about living rooms, and if you are accurate, about their ceiling finish. First of all, I would like to note their dome-shaped form, but the "highlight" lies in a unique pattern made from a plurality of wood layers, each of which in turn is covered with gold. Total in Villalandry castle four living rooms. Today to see such a unique ceiling, you can only in one of them. The remaining three ceiling patterns are located as exhibits in the prestigious museums of Europe.

Room Prince Zheroma

Of course, by visiting Villalandry Castle with the excursion group, the tourist is offered a unique opportunity to visit one of the castle towers. A beautiful view that will open to each traveler to the valley will remain in memory for many years. Is it possible to compare the beauty of two parallel Loire and Cher and Cher? By the way, not so long ago, this landscape was entered by UNESCO to the World Heritage List.

Willland Castle - Gardens

It would be an unforgivable mistake, telling about the castle of Villalandry, just in passing to mention his gardens located around the castle on three (!) Levels. As mentioned above, Jean Le Breton, having studied the fineness of the art of landscaping, which were embodied in the paintings of Italian artists, decided to break the gardens and on the territory of his castle. Nowadays, they are fully restored and are real masterpieces that do not leave a single traveler indifferent.

Bedroom Wife Dr. Carvalo, Ann Coleman

The top level of gardens, which some guides are referred to as the "aqueous mirror", is an ensemble consisting of a smooth lake, around which fruit trees are located, and between them the curly small paths.

The average level of gardens, divided into four large squares, on the idea of \u200b\u200bthe "author," coincides with the first level of Villalandry's castle. His name in French sounds like "Love Gardens". The garden is a kind of displaying the concept of "love", where there is a passion, and hatred, and tenderness and tragedy. All these feelings decoctor managed to embody with all sorts of tug arrays of shrub. Heart, penetrated by an arrow, love notes, horns, masks, flame languages \u200b\u200b- everything is easy to see in unique blooming squares.

Gardens

It is also worth adding that in the south side of the "Garden of Love" three arrays in the form of rhombus are growing at the same time. They are three heraldic symbols: the cross of the Basque countries, the Cross of Malta and the Languedoc Cross.

The lower level is the most real small gardens, where carrots, beets, pumpkin, cabbage grows. In addition, fruit trees are planted, preference is given to apple trees and pears. The composition is framed by small fountains in the form of an eight-pointed star, which on the one hand serve for watering, and on the other hand, the decoration of this unique fruit and vegetable garden. Although, it is worth noting that at present the watering and irrigation of the whole garden is carried out at the expense of the water canal, which literally "surrounds" the entire territory of Villalandry castle.

View of the castle pond

By the way, seeds of some local plants are sold on the territory of Villalandry castle, so every tourist, if desired, can acquire this unique souvenir for memory, so that, putting it in my homeland, remember the unique and unique French garden.

Villalandry Castle - Memo Tourist

Today, Villalandry Castle is a monument of history and architecture that every day invites everyone to everyone. The experienced travelers advise many tourists in France in the city of Tour, a well-known in the Cathedral of Saint-Gatien, do not regret the time and, if possible, travel to the Wilderry Castle.

Let's start by S. garden location
It is under Villalandry Castle in the picturesque Valley of the Loire River in France. To note, along this river and its tributaries on a rectangular segment of two hundred kilometers, a huge number of country locks are concentrated (according to directories I counted more than 70, open to visit) and all with beautiful diverse gardens.

A bit of history With which the paradoxicality of Villalandry gardens is not clear. In 1189 Villalandry was a fortified fortress, in 1532. The new owner Jean Le Breton The fortress destroyed, leaving one tower to which he attached an elegant Renaissance castle of the P-shaped form. The castle partially surrounded by the moat was decorated with huge gardens located in three different levels. Le Breton, who fulfilled the mission of Francis I ambassador in Italy, was able to see many gardens planned by famous Masters of Italian Renaissance, which were characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectural solution. These Italian gardens and came the basic model of Villalandry gardens.

In 1754, the castle began to belong to Marquis de Castellin, who reconstructed his facades in the spirit of his era and arranged new pseudo-human gardens in the romantic taste of Rousseau. Today's amazing terraces disappeared under artificial hills and valleys with paths, curlying between hills and dense "picturesquely arranged" forests. This castle and gardens preserved this kind of 1906, when Spaniard Ioachim Kalvallo (grandfather of the current owner), a doctor and a big fan of the arts, decided to return the castle and the gardens their original appearance. He restored the Renaissance gardens in accordance with Jacques Jacques Andrue Du Serso, published in 1576-79.

And now briefly, the paradox itself: Gardens were built on the French land on the Italian model, which were then replaced by a landscape park, and only thanks to the Spaniard, we have the opportunity to admire these renovated in the style of the medieval french gardens.

Gardens Villalandry today
In fact, the gardens, in my opinion, are several, each of them is individual and at the same time all together they constitute a single composition. The best idea of \u200b\u200bthe overall composition of the gardens is given schemes and views from a bird's eye view.

Gardens are located at three-speed levels that create theatrical effects. All terraces are interconnected with elegant bridges, ramps and stairs. The upper terrace is located at the level of the third floor of the castle. The middle terrace lies on the same level with the halls of the lower floor, while the lower terrace is separated from the castle by the channel and occupy a garden, which, by the way, is most often shown to us. Villalandry gardens, like the Renaissance architecture of French castles, combine two traditions: on the one hand, gothic, with flowers, medicinal and food, the best samples of which are presented in monasteries or estates, and, on the other hand, the Italian tradition, more architectonic.

The overall drawing of the gardens is asymmetric, but a single "large-scale grid" is clearly traced, which is subject to the layout of all parts of this beautiful garden complex. (How not to remember the recommendations of John Brooks). Please note that it seems an elegant pattern formed by squares, actually consists of artfully connected trapeats and rhombuses.

On the upper M-shaped terrace Located unfinished Water Water Garden XV, broken around the pond in the form of a mirror. A large mirror of water is framed by a composition of lawns, tracks, cutting bushes and four round symmetrically arranged small ponds. This garden is as if in the courtyard formed by linden alleys. From the pond take water for watering and fountains. On one side of the terrace decoratively beaten the adjoining of high forest.

Decorative garden of the middle P-shaped terrace With its exquisite forms resembles the "Love Gardens". Such gardens rose above utilitarian or decorative functions - to the level of poetry and even philosophy, expressing the sophisticated symbolism of love, earthly and mystical. This garden, exemplary in this sense, is in memory of the plots of the steller, paintings and poems. Regular garden is divided into three thematic sites: the garden of love, the garden of music and the garden of medicinal herbs. Flowers and herbs are planted among short-sized shrubs forming a complex ornament.

Four large squares are decorated with a shrub, dissolved in the form of figures - Allegories of love. The northwest array depicts the hearts pierced by an arrow - a symbol of love-passion, whereas the northeast represents Vener, the horns, love notes - the symbols of love-adulter, yellow flowers are dominated. In the southwest - love-tenderness with hearts, split flames, and masks worn on the balas; The last, southeast, an array represents tragic love with sword blades and red blood duel. In the southern tip of the garden - three large array of diamond-shaped, depicting the Cross of Languedok, the Cross of Malta and the Cross of the Basque countries.

On the middle terrace on the other side of the RVA are the garden of music and a recreated labyrinth. Huge carps and white swans are swimming in the rock, who are happy to feed visitors, however, it is typical of many castles of France.

The rich garden garden, on the same average level is the garden of medicinal plants (pharmacy garden), a mandatory application for any project, recreation of the Renaissance Epoch. This garden includes only plants used exclusively for the manufacture of medical products, seasonings, perfumes and ointments.

At the bottom stretched garden bottom "square" terrace ; It opens the prospect of the village with the bell tower of the Romanesque Church. This may be the most unusual part of a garden ensemble with large multicolor parquets made up of vegetables and fruit trees.

In 9 squares with a different geometric pattern, cabbage, carrots, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, pumpkins and other variety of plants are cleared; Vegetable landings are interspersed with apple and pear trees, whose branches are formed by Alley Tremers, strambes and vases with flowers. The beds are strict geometric figures framed by a neat border of the samshet, which serves as a kind of green frame for "vegetable still lifes", which are edible and decorative at the same time.

At the intersection of the alley of this garden, 4 small symmetric sites are organized around the central square, each of which has in the center of the fountain and the framing from 4-arms in the corners. Fountains originally intended for irrigation make up an additional element of decorating this green landscape.

Willland Castle
I will not tell detail about the lock. I just say that in all historically preserved interiors there are bouquets of flowers, and the kitchen presents a composition of vegetables. Of course, everything is grown in the castle garden. So the garden penetrates the castle. And of course species from the windows on the garden continue and enrich the interiors. The amazing spectacle opens from the top observation deck, located on the most ancient castle tower.

Service of gardens
A team of 10 gardeners (not counting their assistants) is constantly working on Villalandry lands, since this true work of art requires constant attention. The gardens have 1260 Lipa, 52 km of alive hedge, 900 fruit trees, and they all need constant care and haircut. Complement to their annual 200 thousand colors and vegetable landings for two flowering seasons - spring and summer. The area of \u200b\u200b"blooming vegetable garden" - 12,500 sq.m. Careful development of landing plans is based not only on the aesthetic harmony of shape and color, but also on the horticultural 3-annual cropping system (in one place annual plants change annually). Villalandry's gardens require a strict organization and professionalism - this is a fee for beauty.

In the economic building adjacent to the garden garden, ripen vegetables and fruits were folded, they hurt visitors, leaving a fee for gardeners at their discretion. The fruits and vegetables of this garden are environmentally friendly (which is constantly emphasized by the guide) and very juicy and tasty.

In a separate accommodation, the shops are located at the entrance, there you can buy not only souvenirs and books, but also seeds, seedlings and decorative elements of the garden.

It is worth looking and unravel this "gardens museum" to understand the meaning that gardens had in front of the castle walls that continued the interiors and stretching in the fields and forests. And it was still worth writing this article, now I know that I did not consider everything and, if I manage to visit these gardens again, I will also make my own route in the gardens.

References:
1. Simon D`yarta, Martin Tissier de Milee, Jean Saint-Brie, Henri de Linares, Daniel Oster, Monique Jacob, Francois Bonno, Maurizio Martinelli, Gianni Fali Oriti "Loire Castles"
2. "Loire Castles" Publisher Valoir Esthel with the participation of P.Viara and R.Niko
3. VILLANDRY. Connaissance des Arts.
4. VILLANDRY. Tour of the Gardens

Text and photo: S. Tatyana ()
12.2005

Not far from the Valley of the Loire River rises the majestic vintage castle of Villalandry. This building refers to the Renaissance era. Although the initial castle of Villalandry was a defensive fortress. It was here that the signing of a peace treaty between the two sovereigns of the two Great at the time of the powers - France and England. In the Western Tower of Villalandry Castle, the King of England Henry II Plantagenets and the King of France Filipp-August on July 4, 1189 agreed on the cessation of combat operations against each other. At the same time, a significant advantage of this agreement was received by France.

Since then, a lot of time has passed, but Villalandry Castle is still favorite to visit the place for everyone without exception. Guests of this country will not remain aside.

History of the castle of Villalandry

A few centuries from the moment of signing the peace treaty to hold the castle joined Jean Le Breton. This prominent leader of the state was engaged in the construction of other castles and strengthening facilities. Under his leadership was the construction and reconstruction of the Fontainebleau Castle. A little later, he led the construction of the castle Shambor.

Thanks to his knowledge and experience, he managed to turn the vintage castle of Villalandry in the Luxury Palace. The modern appearance of the castle is no longer reminiscent of the strengthening structure. Jean Le Breton had ancient Scottish roots and knew how to find beauty and elegance in the surrounding world. Therefore, the construction of the castle was conducted on the sketches created in the easy-to-face ampir.

Those buildings of the castle of Villalandry, which we see today were built in 1536. The form of the building was chosen in the form of the letter n with two independent wings. Inside the side buildings is located the courtyard, addressed to the radiation of the Loire River. Easy and elegant architecture was supplemented with large swing windows, balustrades, columns and various stucco, which decorated facades. Both facades

it was performed in a single style, but with light asymmetry. This gave the building to the elegance and ease. It seemed that the castle was ferry in the air.

Current Villalandry is currently private property. But the castle doors are always open to visitors on weekdays and weekends. Input ticket inside the castle costs from 2 to 5 euros, depending on the hours of visiting. If necessary, you can use the guide service, which will tell the history of the castle and will illuminate the origin of its main exhibits.

Gardens Villalandry

The famous Gardens Villalandry appeared here immediately after the end of construction. And they are obliged by their appearance of the same Jean Le Breton. At one time he served as an ambassador of France in Italy. It was in this country that he first met with massive gardens and parks, richly decorated with flowering plants. Immediately after returning to his homeland, he broke three-level gardens in his childbirth. So first appeared Gardens Villalandry.

Villalandry's love garden today is a massive architectural landscaped group. Her distinguishing features:

large area of \u200b\u200bplantations;
wide alleys;
parters with flower beds along Alley and walking tracks;
gardens contours consist of neatly trimmed shrubs.

In the gardens of love Villalandry three levels:

the highest level is a pond with a mirror stroking of water;
the average level occupies a decorative garden with flower beds;
the lower level is traditionally used for breeding vegetable crops.

Villalandry gardens do not accidentally wear love of love. Geometric shapes and plants are kept here in accordance with allegories of love symbolism. In particular, the array in the north and west landed in the form of a heart pierced by an arrow. In the east of the garden, the plants are lined up in groups of their appearance resembling horns, fans and other symbols of treason. In the south of the gardens, smoothly turn into a zone of passion. The red color dominates here. Symbols - flame languages, swords, duels.

The elegant Renaissance castle of Villalandry rises near the Loire, not far from the building standing here in the old times. July 4, 1189, when Villalandri was a fortified fortress, the Philip-August, King of France, with Heinrich II Plantagenet, the King of England occurred here. The conversation of two sovereigns took place in the medieval southwestern tower and ended with the signing of the world in Azet-le-Rido in favor of Philip-August.

Several centuries later, possession passed to Jean Le Breton, the State Secretary of Francis I, who was entrusted with the management of the construction of Fontaineblo Cams and Shambo. Jean Le Breton, whose ancestors were out of Scotland, decided to build his own castle, which would have an elegant, festive view, other than the harsh look of medieval fortresses. He equalized the most ancient buildings with the Earth, with the exception of Danjon, and since 1536 began to build a new building, having a P-shaped form in relation to the parade yard emerging to Loire. Two large wings are typically renissans, they are built according to the model of palaces, built at the beginning of the XVI century. Their facades are cut through large windows framed by pilasters with the capitals of the classic order, and are decorated with friezes and large lug-in with volutors and tympan.

Easy asymmetry (in the windows lines, in their length and in the direction of the wings) are granted to wide facades. Arched galleries go on both sides of the yard.

The castle partially surrounded by the moat was decorated with huge gardens located on three different levels. Le Breton, who fulfilled the mission of the Ambassador Francis I in Italy, was able to see many gardens planned by the famous masters of Italian Renaissance, gardens that organically merged with the architecture of buildings that performed a kind of accompaniment to them. These Italian gardens were characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectonic solution. Based on the Italian model, French gardens occupy, however, large areas make unnecessary walls and, as it were, reduce the external volumes of buildings. Their wide alleys are bored with blooming parmers, the contours of which are emphasized by a fence from a trimmed shrub.

The decorative garden of the middle terrace with its exquisite forms resembles the "Gardens of Love". And indeed, four large squares are decorated with a shrub, dissolved in the form of figures - Allegories of Love. The northwest array depicts the hearts pierced by an arrow - a symbol of love-passion, whereas the northeast represents Vener, the horns, love notes - the symbols of love-adulter, yellow flowers are dominated. In the southwest - love-tenderness with hearts, split flames, and masks worn on the balas; The last, southeast, an array represents tragic love with sword blades and red blood duel.

In the southern tip of the garden - three large array of diamond-shaped, depicting the Cross of Languedok, the Cross of Malta and the Cross of the Basque countries. On the other side of the RVA, the garden spread at the bottom; It opens the prospect of the village with the bell tower of the Romanesque Church. This may be the most unusual part of a garden ensemble with large multicolored parquets made up of vegetables and fruit trees. Such a layout dates back to the times of distant antiquity. In the XVI century, the first botanical gardens were created, in which rare plants were grown, which occurred from the countries of America unknown to that time. Plants were placed in decorative gardens, where their development and acclimatization was monitored.

Villalandry. France's castles garden-garden Villalandry adheres to this old tradition. He was restored thanks to the efforts of Dr. Yochima Kalvallo, who at the beginning of this century releaving the old gardens, inspired by the drawings of Andruise Dutseno. In squares, cabbage, carrots, beets, salad-latch; Vegetable landings are interspersed with apple and pear trees, whose branches form Alley's tarters. Fountains originally intended for irrigation make up an additional element of decorating this green landscape.

In 1574, the castle belonged to Marquis de Castellin, who reconstructed him in the spirit of his era: the windows received an arched frame, the balconies were added, on the lower floor of the yard colonnade was closed by a wall in order to place kitchens and new corridors. Office premises located on the northern side of the castle, protect gardens from cold winds. This castle kept this kind of castle until 1906, when Dr. Carallo, a doctor and a big fan of arts, decided to return his original appearance to the castle. Carvallo stood at the head of the association, which united historical monuments, which made it possible to discover many castles and palaces for the general public.