Clain Castle

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Clain Castle
Château du Clain

Château du Clain

Alternative name (s): Poitiers Castle
Creation time : Mid-14th century
Castle type : Niederungsburg, bank location
Conservation status: Ruin, towers
Place: Poitiers
Geographical location 46 ° 35 '26 "  N , 0 ° 20' 28"  E Coordinates: 46 ° 35 '26 "  N , 0 ° 20' 28"  E

The castle Clain ( French Château du Clain ) in Poitiers is the ruin of a bank castle on the banks of the river Clain north of the confluence of the Boivre . It is best known for the illustration on the July month picture in the Duke of Berry's book of hours . Only the towers remain of the castle itself.

The castle, which was built for Duke Jean de Valois in his youth and also called Poitiers Castle , belonged to the royal family. The town and castle were part of the Duke's apanage , although both were rarely visited by him. After the death of Johann von Berry, it briefly came into the possession of the Duke of Touraine , before it fell to his brother, the future King Charles VII , in 1417 , who made Poitiers one of his residences.

The triangular structure of the castle with towers at the three corners was no longer used solely for defense, but also for representation: The fortified castle from the outside had an open inner courtyard with richly decorated dormer windows on the main building facing the river, which marked the transformation from the castle to the Announced the castle .

The building, surrounded by moats, was connected to the outside world by a wooden footbridge . The footbridge rested on three stone bridge piers that stood in the river bed and led to the right tower. A rectangular entrance tower was connected to the bank with a movable part that could be removed. At the other end, a drawbridge leads directly into the castle. Separated from the castle by a moat or arm of the river were various buildings, including the castle chapel . The towers were kept in the architectural style preferred by the duke, which can be found on various of his castles: Maschikulis (also called machicolation since the 19th century) between consoles , the defenders protected by battlements , and in their upper part with slender, high windows .

Individual evidence

  1. Edmond Pognon : The Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry. no year, p. 28.