The ancient castle of villandry in france. Villandry gardens Castle and unesco

Let's start with garden locations
It is located at the Castle of Villandry in the picturesque Loire Valley in France. For your information, along this river and its tributaries on a rectangular section of two hundred by one hundred kilometers, there is a huge number of country castles (according to reference books I counted more than 70 open to the public) and all with beautiful varied gardens.

A bit of history , without which the paradox of the Villandry gardens is not understandable. In 1189. Villandry was a fortified fortress, in 1532. the new owner Jean Le Breton destroyed the fortress, leaving one tower, to which he added an elegant U-shaped Renaissance castle. The castle, partly surrounded by a moat, was decorated with huge gardens spread over three different levels. Le Breton, who served as Ambassador Francis I to Italy, had a chance to see many gardens designed by the famous masters of the Italian Renaissance, which were characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectural solution. These Italian gardens were the basic model of the Villandry gardens.

In 1754, the castle became the property of the Marquis de Castellane, who reconstructed its facades in the spirit of his era and arranged new pseudo-natural gardens in the romantic taste of Rousseau. Today's delightful terraces have disappeared beneath artificial hills and valleys with paths winding between hills and dense "picturesque" forests. The castle and gardens retained this look until 1906, when the Spaniard Joachim Carvallo (grandfather of the current owner), a doctor and a great fan of the arts, decided to return the castle and gardens to their original appearance. He restored the Renaissance gardens according to the engravings by Jacques Androuet du Cerso, published 1576-79.

And now, briefly, the paradox itself: on French soil, according to the Italian model, gardens were built, which were then replaced by a landscape park, and only thanks to the Spaniard we have the opportunity today to admire these French gardens reconstructed in the style of the Middle Ages.

Villandry Gardens today
In fact, in my opinion, there are several gardens, each of them is individual and at the same time all together they make up a single composition. The best idea of ​​the general composition of the gardens is given by the schemes and bird's-eye views.

The gardens are spread over three stepped levels for a theatrical effect. All terraces are connected by graceful bridges, ramps and stairs. The upper terrace is located on 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 a canal and is occupied by a vegetable garden, which, by the way, is most often shown to us. The Villandry Gardens, like the Renaissance architecture of French castles, combine two traditions: on the one hand - the Gothic, with flowers, medicinal and food herbs, the best examples of which are presented in monasteries or estates, and, on the other hand, the Italian tradition, more architectonic.

The general pattern of the gardens is asymmetric, but a single "scale grid" is clearly traced, to which the layouts of all parts of this beautiful garden complex are subordinated. (How can you not recall the recommendations of John Brooks). Note that what appears to be an elegant pattern of squares is in fact composed of artfully connected trapezoids and rhombuses.

On upper L-shaped terrace there is an unfinished Garden of Water in the style of Louis XV, laid out around a pond in the form of a mirror. A large water mirror is framed by a composition of lawns, paths, trimmed bushes and four symmetrically arranged round small ponds. This garden is located as if in a courtyard formed by linden alleys. Water is taken from the pond for irrigation and fountains. On one side of the terrace, the adjoining of a tall forest is decoratively beaten.

Ornamental garden of the middle U-shaped terrace with its exquisite forms it resembles "gardens of love". Such gardens rose above utilitarian or decorative functions - to the level of poetry and even philosophy, expressing the refined symbolism of love, earthly and mystical. This garden, exemplary in this sense, brings to mind the plots of tapestries, paintings and poems. The regular garden is divided into three themed areas: the garden of love, the garden of music and the garden of medicinal herbs. Flowers and grasses are planted among short-cut shrubs that form a complex ornament.

Four large squares are decorated with shrubs planted in the form of figures - allegories of love. The northwestern massif depicts hearts pierced with an arrow - a symbol of love-passion, while the northeastern one represents fans, horns, love notes - symbols of love-adultery, yellow flowers prevail in it. In the southwest - love-tenderness with hearts separated by tongues of flame and masks worn at balls; the last, southeastern, massif represents tragic love with sword blades and the red blood of duels. At the southern end of the garden are three large diamond-shaped massifs with the Languedoc Cross, the Malta Cross and the Basque Country Cross.

On the middle terrace on the other side of the moat, there is a music garden and a recreated labyrinth. Huge carps and white swans swim in the moat, which visitors are happy to feed, however, this is typical for many castles in France.

Skirting the vegetable garden, at the same middle level is the medicinal plant garden (Aptekarskiy Sad), a must-have for any project that recreates Renaissance gardens. This garden includes only plants used exclusively for the manufacture of medicinal products, condiments, perfumes and ointments.

Spread out below garden of the lower "square" terrace ; behind it, the perspective of the village opens with the bell tower of the Romanesque church. This is perhaps the most unusual part of the garden ensemble with large multicolored parterres made up of vegetables and fruit trees.

Cabbage, carrots, beets, lettuce, tomatoes, pumpkins and other various plants are planted in 9 squares with different geometric patterns; vegetable plantings are interspersed with apple and pear trees, the branches of which form trellises of alleys, standard roses and vases of flowers. The beds of strict geometric shapes are framed by a neat boxwood border, 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 avenues of this garden, around the central square, there are 4 small symmetrical platforms, each of which has a fountain in the center and a framing of 4 pavilions in the corners. Fountains, originally intended for irrigation, add to the decoration of this green landscape.

Villandry Castle
I will not talk about the castle in detail. I can only say that in all historically preserved interiors there are bouquets of flowers, and a composition of vegetables is presented in the kitchen. Of course, everything is grown in the castle garden. This is how the garden enters the castle. And of course the views from the windows to the garden continue and enrich the interiors. A stunning sight opens from the upper observation deck, located on the most ancient tower of the castle.

Garden maintenance
A team of 10 gardeners (not counting their assistants) is constantly working on the lands of Villandry, as this true work of art needs constant attention. The gardens are planted with 1260 lindens, 52 km of hedges, 900 fruit trees, all of which need constant maintenance and trimming. They are complemented by an annual 200 thousand flowers and vegetable plantings for two flowering seasons - spring and summer. The area of ​​the "blossoming garden" is 12,500 sq.m. Careful development of planting plans is based not only on the aesthetic harmony of shape and color, but also on a horticultural 3-year crop rotation system (in one place annual plants change annually). The Villandry Gardens require strict organization and professionalism - the price for beauty.

Ripe vegetables and fruits are stacked in the utility building adjacent to the orchard, and visitors are treated to them, leaving a fee for the gardeners at their own discretion. The fruits and vegetables of this garden are organic (which is constantly emphasized by the guide) and very juicy and tasty.

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

It is worth seeing and unraveling this "museum of gardens" in order to understand the significance that the gardens in front of the castle walls had, which continued the interiors and stretched out into the fields and forests. And it was also worth writing this article, now I know that I have not considered everything, and if I manage to visit these gardens again, then I will lay my route through the gardens in a completely different way.

References:
1. Simon D'Uart, Martin Tissier de Malleré, Jean Saint-Brie, Henri de Linares, Daniel Oster, Monique Jacob, Francois Bonneau, Maurizio Martinelli, Gianni Dagli Orti "Loire Castles"
2. "Loire Castles" Publishing House Valoir-Estelle with the participation of P. Viard and R. Niko
3. Villandry. Connaissance des arts.
4. Villandry. Tour of the gardens

Text and photo: S. Tatiana ()
12.2005

The castle of Villandry (Le château de Villandry), considered the last of the great castles of the Loire Valley, was built in the Renaissance and Louis XIV style 15 km west of Tours. Since 1934 it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Journey into history

One of the most beautiful aristocratic estates of the Loire Valley, the Castle of Villandry was built in the first half of the 16th century. for the secretary of Francis I J. le Breton, whose duties included overseeing the construction of the Chambord and Fonteblo castle. For several years he was also ambassador to Rome, where he also studied landscape art.

Upon his return to France, he began the construction of his new residence in the early Renaissance style on the site of the former fortress of the 12th century, of which only the cellars of the new buildings and the dungeon in the southwestern part of the castle remind of its existence. Until the middle of the 18th century. the castle of Villandry remained the property of his heirs.

In 1754, the Marquis MA became the owner of the castle of Villandry. de Castellane. He ordered to change its facade in accordance with the fashionable trends in his time in architecture. In the middle of the 18th century. the castle was decorated with arches and balconies with elegant decor, but it lost the colonnades on the first floor.

During the reign of Napoleon I, his brother Jerome became the full owner of the castle, who paid great attention to the design of its interiors in the Empire style. After the collapse of the first empire, Villandry Castle became home to the Engerlo family.

In 1906, the castle was acquired by the doctor of medicine and amateur art critic J. Carvalho. The restoration of the castle and especially of its gardens became a lifelong task for him. During the restoration work, the arcades and decoration of the windows of the main building were rebuilt, but its southern facade and interiors were left in the same form as under the Marquis de Castellane. At the beginning of the XXI century. the castle is still privately owned by A. Carvalho, but free to visit.

Architectural and planning composition

The façade of Villandry's castle is slightly asymmetrical, which is evident from the rows of windows and the direction of both of its wings, forming a U-shape. They are typical examples of the architectural school of the Renaissance period. In the design of their facades, decorative elements common to the architecture of the 16th century were used. These include large windows framed by pilasters with capitals, friezes and dormer windows with tympanes and volutes. The courtyard of the castle is framed on both sides by two arcades.

From the interior of Villandry Castle, a number of living rooms, a grand staircase, a dining room, an art gallery, four living rooms and a dining room are available for tourists. The most interesting of these are the chambers of Napoleon I's brother Prince Jerome with red interiors, a dining room with a palm tree trunk fireplace, a living room with a mosaic wooden Arabian ceiling of 3,600 elements and a castle kitchen.

Villandry Gardens

The gardens around Villandry Castle are arranged on different levels of three terraces. When planning them, they were hired in the XVI. J. de Breton gardeners were guided by Italian models of gardening art.

On the first, lower, level of Villandry Park, there is the castle garden. On its 9 square beds, vegetables are grown, selected according to the compatibility of the color of the foliage. They are separated by plantations of fruit trees and fountains, originally intended for irrigation.

On the second level there is a Garden-decoration, which consists of three parts. The closest to the castle are the Garden of Love and the Garden of Crosses. The garden of love consists of 4 parterres, each of which symbolizes one of the forms of sublime feelings: tragic, crafty, tender and passionate love.

Their meaning is conveyed by the shape of the flower beds and the color of flowers. Heart-shaped figures symbolize passionate feelings, and geometric ones with sharp angles resemble daggers and speak of tragic love. In the center of the parterre of tender love there are masks and flower beds in the shape of hearts with pastel colors. The square of the garden of crafty love contains a combination of fan-shaped flower beds, between which are placed figures resembling horns.

Behind the avenues of the Garden of Love, the territory of the Garden of Crosses begins. The plants planted here form figures in the form of Basque, Languedoc and Maltese crosses. Lilies are planted between them, symbolizing royalty and the Virgin Mary.

The Music Garden is perpendicular to the first two gardens behind the canal. Its parterre unites complex flower beds, representing the lyre and the harp. The geometric patterns around them are reminiscent of chandeliers and music stands.

At the top of the hillside is the Water Garden with a large pool shaped like an antique mirror. It was created according to the project of J. Carvalho at the beginning of the XX century. The central reservoir is surrounded by 4 fountains, lawns and boxwood hedges. Next to it is the Garden of the Sun, founded in 2008. In the center of its square territory there is a fountain in the form of an octagonal star, to each ray of which an alley framed by flower beds leads.

How to get there

Address: 3 Rue Principale, Villandry
Telephone: +33 2 47 50 02 09
Site: www.chateauvillandry.fr
Working hours: 9:00-18:00

Ticket price

• Adult: 11 €
• Discount: 7 €

Updated: 13.09.2017
Where is: Loire Valley, 15 km from Tours.
How to get there:
- by car: from Tour on the D7 road
- by train: There are trains from Tour 2 times a day, travel time - 10 minutes, ticket price - 1.5 euros, go to Savonnieres station, which is 4 km from the castle.
How does it work: gardens - daily from 9.00 to 17.00 (winter) or 19.30 (summer); castle - from 9.00 to 16.30 (winter) or 18.30 (summer), closed from 15 November to 7 February.
Issue price: € 9.
Site . On the official page of the castle, you will find descriptions of ideas, gardens, a virtual tour, a monthly photo report on the life of the castle, the latest news and much more.

What to look at: this graceful castle rises near the Loire, not far from the building that stood here in ancient times. But the charm of Villandry Castle lies primarily in its unique parks. The history of France has never invaded its walls - it was neither the castle of kings nor courtesans.

History

The castle was built by the prime minister of King Francis I, Jean le Breton (whose coat of arms can be seen in the outline of the left dormer) on the site of the foundation of the feudal fortress, where on July 4, 1189, Philip II Augustus and Henry II Plantagenet signed a peace agreement. Jean le Breton, who was entrusted with the management of the construction of the castles of Fontainebleau and Chambord, razed the former castle to the ground, leaving one tower (in which the historical meeting of the kings took place), to which new buildings were added.
Breton, whose ancestors came from Scotland, decided to build his own castle, which would have an elegant, festive look, different from the austere appearance of medieval fortresses. The construction was completed in 1536. Thus, this castle is considered to be the last of the Renaissance palaces built on the Loire. The new building is U-shaped in relation to the ceremonial courtyard overlooking the Loire. The two large wings are typically Renaissance. They were built on the model of palaces that were erected at the beginning of the 16th century. Their facades are cut through by large windows, framed by pilasters with capitals of the classical order, and decorated with friezes and large lucarnes with volutes and tympanes. The wide facades are given a slight asymmetry (in the lines of the windows, in their length and in the direction of the wings); arched galleries run on both sides of the courtyard.

The descendants of Jean le Breton preserved Villandry until 1754, when the castle became the property of the Marquis de Castellane, a royal ambassador and a member of a very famous Provencal noble family. By his order, classical-style outbuildings were made on both sides of the front yard. He also remade the interior of the castle, adapting it to the comfort standards of the 18th century: he decorated the windows, added balconies, and blocked off a part of the courtyard with a wall to accommodate the kitchen.

Villandry kept this species until 1906. The castle itself consists of three horseshoe-shaped buildings facing the river. Cross-shaped window frames, attics, steep roof slopes form a rare harmonious complex. We did not manage to save everything - so round turrets with pointed conical roofs did not reach us. The monumental architecture of the castle was influenced by a simpler style, which was later called the style of Henry IV.

In 1906, the castle was acquired by the great-grandfather of today's owners, Dr. Joachim Carvallo, who headed the Association of Owners of Historic Monuments. He abandons a brilliant scientific career under the guidance of Professor Charles Richet (Nobel Prize in Medicine 1913) in order to devote his life exclusively to Villandry. He rescues the castle from destruction and recreates the gardens after the model of the 16th century garden. Finding the initial project created by Androis du Cerso, Carvallo recreated the structure of the park, drew straight paths along which lawns with flowers are located, planted lime avenues, hedges skillfully trimmed by gardeners, reproduced the amazing herbariums of medieval monks.

By castle
The furnishings of the 18th century have been restored in the building. The castle tower overlooks the Loire and Cher valleys. Climbing to the roof is a must to be able to take in all the Villandry gardens.

Joachim Carvallo and his wife collected 17th century Spanish painting - the "golden age" of Spanish painting. And when they acquired Villandry in 1906, one of the goals was to find a place for the collection, which then gained great fame. Villandry owns approximately 50 paintings and the current owners are keen to restore the original collection. All paintings belong to the Spanish realistic movement - a magnificent combination of Flemish and Italian designs.

One of the most amazing sights of the castle is the Arabian ceiling. It was brought from the palace of the princes de Makeda, built in the 15th century in Toledo. This house had 4 corner living rooms, each with a dome with wooden multi-colored gilded caissons. The palace was destroyed in 1905.

Now three ceilings from this palace are preserved in the largest international museums. Well, the fourth was brought by Joachim Carvallo to the castle of Villandry in the form of 3600 pieces. It took a year to re-fit this puzzle. This Mudejar-style Spanish-Moorish ceiling was created by Moorish craftsmen for Spanish owners and is a fusion of decoratively significant elements of Christian and Moorish art. Franciscan strings, shells of Saint Jacques from Compostel, ornament of flowers and heraldry of the sovereigns are combined with stucco, gilding and Arabic script.

In the dining room there is an interesting fireplace with a chimney shaped like a palm tree.

Through the garden

The main thing for which it is worth going to Villandry is undoubtedly its gardens. They are planted with 1150 lindens, and the total length of hedges is approximately 52 km. Every year, 250,000 flower and vegetable seedlings are transplanted in the gardens. Weeding is done entirely by hand so as not to damage the very fragile roots of the boxwood. The flowers are planted in such a way that each variety blooms in its own season, replacing others.

Le Breton, who served as Ambassador Francis I in Italy, had a chance to see many gardens, including the Villa d'Este and Lante, designed by the famous masters of the Italian Renaissance, gardens that organically merged with the architecture of the buildings, which served as a kind of accompaniment to them. the gardens were characterized by strict geometric lines and a pronounced architectonic solution.Founded according to the Italian model, the French gardens occupy large areas, make the fortress walls unnecessary and, as it were, reduce the external volumes of the buildings. The Villandry gardens meet these requirements in the best possible way.

The gardens are laid out over three levels. The topmost - first level is Water Garden (Jardin d "eau)... Inspired by classicism, it is placed around a large space of water, created in the form of a Louis XV mirror. The mirror is a pond with rare aquatic plants. Water is taken from the pond both for irrigation and for the functioning of the fountains. The Water Garden is the perfect place for leisurely reflections in hot weather.

The second level, which is on the same level as the halls of the lower floor, is Regular garden (Le jardin d "ornement) consisting of three thematic areas: the Garden of Love (Jardin d "amour), the Garden of Music (Jardin de la musique) and the Garden of Medicinal Herbs (Jardin des simples). Flowers and herbs are planted among short-cut shrubs, forming a whimsical ornament.

When designing, the park's creator wanted hedges to represent the kinds of love. According to the author, there are four of them.

Tender love- hearts, separated at the corners by the fires of a love flame. In the center there are masks that were worn over the eyes during balls and allowed any kind of conversation, from the most serious to the most frank.

Fickle (fleeting) love- four fans in the corners symbolize the lightness of feelings. Between these fans are the horns of treason. In the center are love letters or notes that a windy woman sends to her lover. The dominant color of this square is yellow, the color of treason.

passionate love- hearts, but this time broken by passion. The arrays of boxwood are tangled and form a labyrinth, and there is also a hint of dance.

Tragic love- the drawings represent the blades of daggers and swords used in duels due to rivalry in love. In summer, red flowers bloom here - a symbol of blood spilled in the struggle

The second garden - - symbolizes the various musical instruments in the orchestra. The large triangles represent the lyres, along with the harps. Between the lyres there are candlesticks to illuminate the musical score.

Third garden - Herbal Garden... As in medieval gardens, it is located between the vegetable garden and the church. The garden contains over 30 types of spicy, medicinal and aromatic herbs. All these herbs were considered by our ancestors to be beneficial for family life. All of them you can identify thanks to the signs.

And finally, the third level - Vegetable garden (Rotager), the area of ​​which is 12.5 thousand square meters. m. It consists of 9 square beds of the same size, but with different geometric motives. These square beds are planted with vegetables that match colors (leek blue, cabbage and beet red, carrot green jade) to give the impression of a multi-colored checkerboard. Vegetable plantings are interspersed with apple and pear trees, the branches of which form trellises of alleys.

Fountains, originally intended for irrigation, add to the decoration of this green landscape. In front of the plants there are information signs explaining their symbolic meanings: cabbage - promiscuity, pumpkin - fertility, etc. In addition, they inform about the medicinal properties of each plant.

The origin of the vegetable garden dates back to the Middle Ages. The monks in their abbeys liked to arrange vegetables in geometric shapes. The numerous crosses in the Villandry garden remind us of these monastery roots. To revive the gardens, the monks added roses. Planted symmetrically, they, according to the old tradition, symbolize a monk digging a vegetable patch.

The Italian influence brings decorative elements to this monastery garden: fountains, gazebos entwined with greenery, garden beds with flowers. French gardeners of the 16th century combine these two trends - the monastic French and the Italian and create the garden that they needed for roses and new vegetables brought from America. They call it "ornamental garden". This is exactly what was in the project du Cerceau, on the basis of which Carvallo created the modern vegetable garden.

Two plantings are made every year: one in the spring, remaining from March to June, the second in summer, remaining from June to October. Approximately 40 types of vegetables are used each year from eight botanical families. You can't find potatoes here, which is an anachronism for a 16th century garden. The arrangement of vegetables changes with each planting, while observing, on the one hand, the need for a harmonious combination of color and shape and, on the other hand, horticultural requirements, in accordance with which a 3-year alternation of plantings is necessary so as not to deplete the soil. Irrigation is carried out by a dug-in automatic irrigation system.

Behind the vegetable garden there is a vista of the village with the bell tower of the Romanesque church. The vegetable garden is perhaps the most unusual part of the Villandry garden ensemble, with large multicolored parterres made up of vegetables and fruit trees. This layout dates back to ancient times. In the XVI century. the first botanical gardens were created, in which rare plants originating from the countries of America, unknown until that time, were grown. Plants were placed in ornamental gardens, where their development and acclimatization were monitored. Villandry's orchard adheres to this old tradition.

Do not forget about traditional for France roses... There are a lot of them, they are colorful and very beautiful. And to convey in words the smell in the air is impossible, it is something divine. I want to breathe in the aroma in the air, deeply. Stand and inhale. Fantastic!

To visit these unique gardens, it is a must to come to Villandry! The castle hosts various flower festivals. The schedule of events can be found on the official website of the castle. The owners of the castle, the heirs of Dr. Carvallo, who died in 1936, opened a garden crafts school in Villandry, which still exists today.

Tip: do not forget to bring bread with you. In the remnants of the moat that once surrounded the castle, there are very voracious fish swimming!

France is a dream country for most travelers. Every tourist is eager to visit this European corner and be sure to take a picture against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, walk along the night streets of Paris, go shopping, where can you go without it, try national cuisine (cheeses, wines, croissants, many desserts), and just enjoy the atmosphere of a country full of romance.

Today, however, we will devote an article not to the Eiffel Tower, but to another French attraction, which should be included in the list of must-see sites. The name of such a luxurious object is the Castle of Villandry.

Castle Villandry: history

The history of the masterpiece, which France can proudly boast of today, begins in the 1200s. At that time, the building itself was similar to a fortification, in no way resembling a castle. In addition, this structure was a so-called tidbit for most ill-wishing people.

But if you believe the historical facts, it was within these walls that very important negotiations took place between such personalities as the king of England and the king of France. 1189, or rather June 4 of this year, marked the signing of a peace treaty. The name of the treaty is Colombier. It was signed in favor of Phillip-Augustus (King of France). Years and centuries passed, and the fortified fortress served as a haven for soldiers, instead of being a chic, luxurious castle, which boasts excellent interior decoration, as well as very large rooms.

It wasn't until the mid-1500s that some change began to take place. Now the castle of Villandry was transferred to the management of the secretary of Francis I. The name of the secretary is Jean le Breton. Since that time, the building has healed in a new way.

Construction features

Jean decides to build his own building, which will be significantly different from other similar buildings, as well as stand out against their background. He wanted Wildlandry Castle to have extraordinary architecture, a festive look, in addition, it would be much better than the existing palaces, castles of the Middle Ages. To realize all his ideas, he had to order to demolish almost all the ancient buildings of Villandry.

But he orders to leave only one main tower, located inside the keep (fortress). With the arrival of 1536, the construction of a new structure began. It will be built around the palace in the shape of the letter "P". The main entrance of the erected masterpiece overlooks the banks of the famous Loire River.

According to the stories of most modern architects, both so-called wings of the erected masterpiece were executed in the classical style inherent in the Renaissance period. Among the main characteristics are:

• Dimensional windows. They are framed by semi-columns (pilasters), and the windows are crowned with capitals.
• Spiral curls. They have an inherent so-called peephole located in the center.
• Niches. Among architects, niches have their own name - tympanum.

At the same time, the construction of arched galleries was carried out. These galleries served as decoration of the courtyard on both sides.

Jean le Breton

The king sent Jean to Italy several times for the purpose of a diplomatic visit. These trips allowed the French official to become better acquainted with the works of Romanesque artists. Their masterpieces were attributed to the Renaissance period. Among the beautiful masterpieces, there are unique paintings depicting beautiful gardens that are impressive in both geometry and harmony with the architecture of Villandry.

The government official was impressed by everything he saw in the Italian countryside. For this reason, he decides to use wildlife instead of huge fortress walls. Although the gardens, which the castle of Villandry and France itself can rightfully boast, occupy an area much larger in comparison with the so-called templates of Italy.

Reconstruction of the castle

With the arrival of 1754, the castle passed into the possession of another person. It was the Marquis Michel-Ange de Casteland. He decided to carry out work on the reconstruction of the building. Note that he planned to change the architectural style of the building, to make it characteristic of his time. Restoration work, involving the restoration of certain parts of the castle, was not included in his plans.

Under the Marquis de Castelane, the window openings changed slightly, they acquired smaller dimensions. In addition, new arches were framed and balconies were erected. Also, instead of colonnades, kitchens, corridors were added, now walls were located in their place. In this form, Villandry Castle existed for about two centuries.

At the beginning of the 19th century, this masterpiece of architecture was in the possession of Prince Jerome Bonaparte, who was the younger brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. At that time, the castle acquired a richer look, which, in fact, corresponded to the style of the emperor. After Jerome, the building passed into the possession of the Engerlo family.

Return to original appearance

In 1906 this architectural masterpiece found new owners again. They were people who were very fond of art: the wife of Anna Coleman, a doctor named Joaquim Carvalho. It occurred to them to give the castle its original appearance. Therefore, Villandry could boast of the original appearance of the windows, rebuilt by arcades. In addition, the couple took care of the creation of the gardens. The halls located inside the castle and the south-facing façade, made by the Marquis Michel-Ange de Casteland, were not affected during the restoration work.

Now anyone could admire the beautiful palaces and other structures that were located in the valleys of rivers such as Laura and Cher, thanks to Carvalho. It was he who initiated the organization of an association of owners of historical monuments. At the present time, the castle of Villandry is the property of Joaquim's great-grandson. His name is Henri Carvalho.

Villandry's interior

Among the many architectural masterpieces around the world, there is a huge number of those objects that can boast of their unique, unsurpassed interior decoration. If a tourist has a country like France in his travel plans, he must definitely visit this attraction of the country. Usually travelers cannot convey in words all the charm of the wealth and splendor inherent in Villandry.

Undoubtedly, the interior appearance of any room in the building impresses with its beauty. Most of the rooms have chairs and armchairs from the 18th century with silk upholstery and precious woods. If we talk about silk fabric, it was produced in Tours in a weaving factory. Note the fact that the factory is still in operation today. Magnificent, chic bedrooms cannot be ignored. They were intended not only for the owners, their children. Guests could also relax in the bedrooms.

Features of the rooms

Work was carried out to restore Jerome Bonaparte's room. The room of this man impresses with its red tones, which, in fact, only emphasizes the wealth and power inherent in the old days of the French Empire. The main items of the room:

• furniture made of expensive mahogany wood;
• curtains that match the furniture color.

As for the walls of the bedroom, they are draped with a red fabric. Now let's pay a little attention to the living rooms. This castle, which France is proud of, has its own ceiling decoration feature. Note that the ceilings have the shape of domes, but the "highlight" is different. A special feature of the ceiling decoration is a unique, magnificent pattern. It was laid out from a large number of layers of wood.

By the way, each layer is gold plated. Villandry Castle has four living rooms. To date, only one such ceiling is available to tourists. The other three patterns have found their secluded spot in the best European museums, serving as exhibits there.

Castle and UNESCO

Travelers who go on an excursion to the Castle of Villandry, want to get to know a country like France better, have a unique opportunity to visit one of the towers of this magnificent masterpiece of architecture. The view overlooking the valley will impress any person and will remain in memory for a long time. After all, two parallel rivers - Cher and Laura are incredibly beautiful, will not disregard those who love to enjoy nature and its creations. By the way, now France can boast of the fact that this magnificent landscape is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Villandry Gardens

Now let's talk about one important advantage of this French landmark - its gardens. We can talk about them for a very long time, because they are unusually beautiful, their special difference is their three-level arrangement. When we looked at history, we mentioned that it was Jean le Breton who met them in the paintings painted by Italian artists, then studied all the subtleties of the art of landscaping.

After that, Jean decided to bring to life everything he had studied and seen, to decorate his castle. Since their inception, they have caused the disappearance of stone fences from the gardens, and the alleys were surrounded by flower beds. If we talk about a specific example of French park art, they are undoubtedly the Villandry gardens, the levels of which rise one above the other. At the present time, such a French miracle is able to impress any person who comes to these parts.

Features of levels

Upper

This level has its own name, which sounds like "Water Mirror". The main components of this ensemble include a smooth lake surrounded by various fruit trees. It also includes paths winding between trees.

Average

This level is divided into 4 large squares, called "Gardens of Love". Everything turned out as it was intended: the first level, which has the castle of Villandry, as well as the middle garden level, are the same. The garden itself is a reflection of love. That is, he is characterized by various feelings: love, infidelity, tenderness, tragedy and passion. The decorator was able to realize all of the above feelings thanks to various axle arrays of bushes.

The guests are presented with masks, love notes, a heart pierced by an arrow, and many other elements. Tourists have the opportunity to see all this and much more in incredible, unique squares. France knows how to surprise travelers! For example, 3 diamond-shaped massifs located in the southern part make a great impression. These arrays are a display of heraldic symbols. Array symbols are crosses:

• Basque;
• Languedoc;
• Maltese.

Lower

There are real small vegetable gardens here. That is, the lower level is a place where various vegetables grow (for example, pumpkin, beets), trees - pears and apple trees. The entire composition is framed by small star-shaped fountains with eight ends. The star itself serves both for decoration and for watering. At the present time, the garden is watered with water from a water channel, because it surrounded the entire castle of Villandry.

In conclusion, I would like to say that France was, is and will be a wonderful corner of our planet, worthy of the attention of every traveler. We recommend all tourists to visit as many interesting, unusual, famous objects that France offers. In addition, you need to take a photo, shoot a video, so that many years later you will remember the bright moments from your life.