Villevêque Castle
Castle Villevêque is located in the French town of Villevêque , 15 kilometers northeast of Angers , in the department of Maine-et-Loire in the region of Pays de la Loire .
In the 12th century the Bishop of Angers had various summer residences near the city; Villevêque Castle on the Loir River was one of them. During the Hundred Years War , the fortress was besieged, razed, and rebuilt twice. Today only part of the moat of this structure still exists.
In the middle of the 15th century, the medieval fortress structures lost their original importance, including the castle of Villevêque. During this time, Bishop Jean de Beauvau converted it into a homely residence in the Renaissance style, with a structured facade and large windows. After a landowner bought the castle in the 16th century, it fell into disrepair over time; In 1873 it was finally restored.
In 1981, the wealthy industrialist Daniel Duclaux acquired Villevêque Castle as a suitable location for his valuable art collection, including an extensive library. After his death in 1999, his wife, Marie Duclaux-Dickson, bequeathed all of the property to the city of Angers after her death in 2002. From 2004 the castle gradually became a museum. The current exhibition includes, for example, ceramics, bronze figures, enamel work and tapestries. The exhibits date from the 12th to 16th centuries and come from all over Europe. The castle park is also open to visitors in the afternoon.
Web links
- Castles near Angers (German / French)
Coordinates: 47 ° 33 '39.9 " N , 0 ° 25' 34.5" W.