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Château d'Étampes

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Classification
  
Monument historique

Country
  
France

Completed
  
1150

Opened
  
1150

Client
  
Robert II of France

Town or city
  
Étampes

Construction started
  
11th century

Address
  
91150 Étampes, France

Architectural style
  
Medieval architecture

Château d'Étampes

Similar
  
Église Saint‑Basile, Château de Dourdan, Gare d'Étampes, Saint‑Martin‑d'Étampes, Château de Méréville

Guignol sur l ile de loisirs d etampes t 2016


The Château d'Étampes was a castle in the town of Étampes in the départment of Essonne, France. The principal remains are of the 12th-century keep, the Tour de Guinette.

Contents

History

The Château d'Étampes was an early 10th-century stronghold of Robert the Pious, King of France, that comprised both a palace proper and motte. Between 1130 and 1150, a new castle was created overlooking the valley, culminating in a strong keep or donjon: the present Tour de Guinette. The Château was extended under later kings, notably Philip II of France, but suffered through sieges in the Hundred Years War before having been ordered destroyed by Henry IV of France, after which only the keep remained.

Description of the Chateau

The architectural aspects of this former royal castle are known from contemporary images, including the Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry. Tour de Guinette was in the center of the castle and was surrounded by a rectangular curtain wall punctuated by corner towers. This wall was, in turn, enclosed by two additional walls providing layers of defense for the keep.

The surviving keep stands roughly 27 meters tall and is a quatrefoil plan (much like a four-leaf clover). Divided into four stories, first-floor access may originally have been reached from the enclosure wall. This interesting plan is the result of tactical experimentation that the keep underwent during the mid-12th century to improve the defense of towers against missiles and to reduce dead ground. The circular lobes deflect missiles, and allow defenders to cover the foot of the walls from the summit of the keep. The plan resembles the keeps of Ambleny and nearby Houdan. Clifford's Tower, part of York Castle in York, England, is believed to have been inspired by Étampes.

References

Château d'Étampes Wikipedia