Villandry Castle Gardens (Chateau de Villandry). Ancient castle of villandry in france castle of villandry france history briefly

12.03.2020

The Villandry fortress stood at this place for a long time, it was here on July 4, 1189 that the historic meeting of the King of France Philippe-Augustus with the English monarch Henry II Plantagenet took place, as a result of which the Azay-le-Rideau peace agreement was signed

In the 16th century, Jean le Breton, the personal secretary of Francis I, who oversaw the construction of the residences of Chambord and Fontainebleau, settled here.

Feeling all his importance, le Breton decided to make himself comfortable, for which he demolished all the ancient buildings except the central keep and erected in their place a chic Renaissance horseshoe-shaped castle

The courtyard of the new castle, surrounded on two sides by a gallery of arcades, faces the Loire, and both of its wings are still considered an example of Renaissance architecture

Villandry also owes his gardens to the royal secretary, who spent a long time in Italy as an ambassador, where he studied the subtleties of the art of landscaping from paintings by Italian Renaissance artists

As a result, taking on the creation of unique gardens that have no analogues anywhere else in France, Le Breton created a truly amazing composition consisting of three levels ...

On the upper terrace, which is a water mirror, the royal secretary has laid out an orchard with cozy paths passing between the trees

On the middle terrace, located approximately at the level of the first floor of the castle, he arranged the so-called "Gardens of Love", which will be discussed below

On the lower terrace, the Scotsman has arranged an ornamental vegetable garden, in the multi-colored flower beds of which vegetables such as pumpkin, cabbage, carrots and beets are closely huddled, and fruit trees, among which apple and pear trees prevail.

From here, a beautiful view of the village opens with a high bell tower of a Romanesque church, and the landscape is completed by low fountains in the form of eight-pointed stars, originally used for watering plants and trees

One of the terraces overlooks the Audience Pavilion - a kind of gazebo where you can hide from the heat

The gardens are surrounded by a canal serving both irrigation and framing

Villandry's "Gardens of Love" are 4 regular squares: the northwestern one is planted in the form of hearts struck by arrows and represents passionate love; in the northeastern square, plants are planted in yellow shades, which should represent infidelity; the southwest sector consists of hearts separated by tongues of flame, symbolizing tender feelings; the southeast square is planted with sword-points and blood-red flowers, personifying tragic love. The picture is completed by three large diamond-shaped arrays at the edge of the terrace, depicting Languedoc, Maltese and Basque crosses

Let's walk a little more through the Villandry gardens

The castle of Villandry remained in the property of the le Breton family for over two centuries, until 1754, when it came into the possession of the royal ambassador, the Marquis de Castellana, who decided to "keep up with the times" and furnished the interiors in the latest fashion of the 18th century. As a result, the beautiful colonnades on the ground floor were replaced by faceless walls of kitchens and corridors, and graceful Renaissance windows were "diversified" with arches and balconies

This is how the castle would have survived to our time, if not for the initiative of Dr. Joaquim Carvalho, who decided to restore the unique Renaissance appearance of Villandry.

In 1906, Villandry was bought by a Spaniard - Dr. Joachim Carvallo, a prominent scientist (ancestor of the current owner). He abandoned his scientific career, which he pursued with Professor Charles Richet (Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1913), and devoted himself entirely to the restoration of the Castle of Villandry. The doctor actually saved the castle, which was on the verge of destruction, and recreated the Renaissance-style gardens that were created under Jean Le Breton. Joachim Carvallo was also the founder in 1924 of the "Historic House", the first association that brought together the owners of historic castles, and initiated the opening of these architectural monuments to the general public.

Thanks to Carvalho, the restoration of the castle began in 1906, during which the windows were restored to their original appearance, the colonnades of the first floor were restored and the luxurious gardens were transplanted anew. The whims of the Marquis de Castellan are now reminiscent of only the interiors and the southern façade that he remodeled

Let's walk a little through the castle interiors. By the way, in most rooms you can find such chairs and armchairs of the 18th century, upholstered with silk from the famous factory in Tours, which is still engaged in the production of this fabric.

The dining room, redesigned by the Marquis de Castellana in the spirit of the 18th century, lost as a result the old tapestries on the walls, which were replaced by panels from the times of Louis XV, and the marble floor was covered with parquet

The kitchen is the simplest room in the castle, with terracotta tiled floors, a large fireplace and stonework. Here you can see all the elements of the old kitchen: an oak table, copper pots and pans, and the like.

A large limestone staircase was built by the Marquis de Castellana in the courtyard, in place of the old octagonal staircase. The initials of the marquis can be seen on the iron railing

The bedrooms on the first floor were traditionally reserved for the owner and his guests. They were also restored, but only the interiors of the 18th century were restored. to our time, there is no evidence of how these rooms looked before the alterations of Castellano

This bright room once belonged to Napoleon's younger brother, Prince Jerome, who owned the castle of Villandry for several years during the period of the Empire. Accordingly, the design and furnishings of this room are imperial: mahogany furniture, red silk curtains and draperies, and military insignia and spears on the walls.

And in this bedroom lived Dr. Carvalho's wife, Anne Coleman. Here you can see portraits of three of the couple's six children

At the corners of the Villandry residence are four living rooms, each with a unique dome. The ceiling of the eastern living room was created in Toledo in the 15th century and is a pattern of many layers of wood covered with gilding

During the restoration of Joaquim Carvalho, only one of these ceilings was restored in the palace, the other three adorn exhibitions of prestigious international museums today

It took a full year to reassemble this ceiling from 3,600 individual pieces. Built in Mudejar style by Moorish craftsmen for their Spanish patrons, this ceiling combines decorative elements from both Christian and Moorish art: Franciscan cords, seashells, flowers and royal coats of arms are intermingled with intricate patterns, gilding and arabesques

On the second floor, there are two small children's bedrooms with small toys, old books, embroidered clothes and a cradle

The castle tower offers a bird's eye view of the Villandry garden. In addition, there is a beautiful view of the valley, along which the Loire and Cher run parallel for almost fifteen kilometers. This landscape is included in the list World heritage UNESCO

Villandry Castle Gardens
(Chateau de Villandry)

Before Jean Le Breton was ambassador to Rome, from where he brought the traditions and the best examples of garden art of the period italian Renaissance... The construction of the castle, partially surrounded by a moat, was completed in 1536. This castle is thus considered the last of the Renaissance palaces built on the Loire.

A large paved U-shaped courtyard, formed by outbuildings, opens towards the valley. The main wing and the two perpendicular side wings with open lower arcades follow the classical principles of symmetry, but their structure was influenced by the foundations of the old castle: the side wings are of different lengths and not quite parallel.

Villandry's gardens combine two traditions: the Gothic tradition with flowers, medicinal and edible herbs, the best examples of which are found in monasteries or private estates, and the Italian, more decorative and aesthetic, with a lot of sheared greenery. More than a thousand lindens are planted in the Villandry Gardens, and the total length of the hedges is 52 km.

The Villandry estate is located in a small valley through which a stream flows. The valley has a slope of relief, which led to the creation of gardens on several levels.

The symbolic garden is an extension of the castle's living rooms. In order to examine it in its entirety and understand all the true beauty and encrypted meaning, you need to climb a hill. The four squares closest to the building are made of shrubs cut in the form of figures - allegories of love. Love is shown here in four different ways:

Tender love is symbolized by hearts separated by flames and masks worn at balls;

- passionate love formed by hearts pierced by arrows. Boxwood massifs are confused with each other and represent a labyrinth, which is associated with dance and tangled interweaving of destinies;

- Fickle love - these are four fans in the corners, which symbolize the lightness and fickleness of feelings, horns and love notes are also depicted here. This square is dominated by yellow as a symbol of betrayal and deceived love;

- Tragic love shown by the blades of swords, and the red flowers prevailing in summer are a symbol of the blood shed in duels.

Above the symbolic garden, there is a garden located around a large mirror pond and surrounded by a green wall. There are also four small fountains, surrounded by boxwoods, trimmed in the form of balls, in square containers. It is the perfect place to rest, relax and dream. Nearby is a labyrinth of sheared green walls. Above, there is a fenced rectangular area where pets graze.

On the lower level there is a vegetable garden with an area of \u200b\u200b12.5 thousand square meters. The ornamental beds contain cabbage, carrots, beets, beans, lettuce and other vegetables. The beds are interspersed with apple and pear trees shaped like trellises. In front of the plants, there are information plates explaining their symbolic meanings: pumpkin - fertility, cabbage - promiscuity, etc. In addition, they inform everyone about the healing properties. Fountains, originally intended for irrigation, add to the decoration of this garden. Around the fountains there are four benches under semicircular pergolas, entwined with fragrant roses. This layout dates back to ancient times.

The relief of the area allows you to view the Villandry Gardens from above. This can be done from the tower of the castle, which offers a vista of the village with the bell tower of the Romanesque church and a view of the Loire and Chera valleys. The breathtaking view can also be enjoyed from two balustraded balconies specially arranged on a wooded slope.

Villandry Castle and Gardens classified as historical monuments... Anyone can visit them at all seasons of the year, both individually and in a group accompanied by a guide. Here you can also taste traditional French cuisine in the restaurant located on the territory of the castle.

Villandry Castle was built in the 16th century by the finance minister Jean Le Breton on the site of an old building that was razed to the ground, leaving the 12th century foundation and one tower to which new buildings were added. Previously, Jean Le Breton was ambassador to Rome, from where he brought the traditions and the best examples of garden art of the Italian Renaissance. The construction of the castle, partially surrounded by a moat, was completed in 1536. This castle is thus considered the last of the Renaissance palaces built on the Loire.

The descendants of Jean Le Breton were the owners of the castle of Villandry until 1754, until he came into the possession of the Marquis de Castelland, a royal ambassador and a native of the noble family of Provence. The Marquis redesigned the facades in the classical style, added to the main pavilion, modernized the interiors and laid out new gardens. In the 19th century, the traditional garden was destroyed in order to create an English-style park around the castle (in the style of the Parc Monceau in Paris).

In 1906, Villandry was bought by a Spaniard - Dr. Joachim Carvallo, a prominent scientist (ancestor of the current owner). He abandoned his scientific career, which he pursued with Professor Charles Richet (Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1913), and devoted himself entirely to the restoration of the Castle of Villandry. The doctor actually saved the castle, which was on the verge of destruction, and recreated the Renaissance-style gardens that were created under Jean Le Breton. Joachim Carvallo was also the founder in 1924 of the Historic House, the first association that brought together the owners of historic castles, and pioneered the opening of these monuments to the general public.

The Villandry gardens combine two traditions: the Gothic tradition with flowers, medicinal and food herbs, the best examples of which are presented in monasteries or private estates, and the Italian, more decorative and aesthetic with a lot of clipped greenery. More than a thousand lindens are planted in the Villandry Gardens, and the total length of the hedges is 52 km.

The Villandry estate is located in a small valley through which a stream flows. The valley has a slope of relief, which led to the creation of gardens on several levels.

The symbolic garden is an extension of the castle's living rooms. In order to examine it in its entirety and understand all the true beauty and encrypted meaning, you need to climb a hill. The four squares closest to the building are made of shrubbery, cut in the form of figures-allegories of love. Love is shown here in four different ways:

- Tender love symbolized by hearts separated by tongues of flame and masks worn at balls;

- passionate love formed by hearts pierced by arrows. Boxwood massifs are confused with each other and represent a labyrinth, which is associated with dance and tangled interweaving of destinies;

- Tragic love shown by the blades of swords, and the red flowers prevailing in summer are a symbol of the blood shed in duels.

Villandry Castle and Gardens are classified as historical monuments. Anyone can visit them at all seasons of the year, both individually and in a group accompanied by a guide. Here you can also taste traditional French cuisine in the restaurant located on the territory of the castle.

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 dishes 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 Eiffel towerand another French attraction, which should be on the list of must-see sites. The name of such a luxurious object is Villandry Castle.

Castle Villandry: history

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

But if you believe historical facts, it was within these walls that very important negotiations of such personalities as the king of England and the king of France took place. 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, centuries passed, and the fortified fortress served as a haven for soldiers, instead of being a chic, luxurious castle that boasts excellent interior decoration, as well as very large rooms.

It wasn't until the mid-1500s that things began to change. 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 comes ashore famous river Loire.

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. Semicolumns (pilasters) serve as a frame for them, 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 get better acquainted with the works of Romanesque artists. Their masterpieces date back to the Renaissance. Among the beautiful masterpieces, there are unique paintings depicting beautiful gardens, which 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 became smaller. In addition, new framing of arches appeared, balconies were built. Also, instead of colonnades, kitchens, corridors were added, now walls were located in their place. The castle of Villandry existed in this form 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 creating 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 beautiful palaces, other structures that were located in the valley 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 are 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 express in words all the charm of the wealth and splendor inherent in Villandry.

Undoubtedly, the interior 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 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 learned and seen, to decorate his castle. Since their inception, they have become the reason for 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 this region.

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 that wind between trees.

Middle

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, and 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 the above feelings thanks to various axle-box 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 view 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 (for example, pumpkin, beets) grow, 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 attention every traveler. We recommend all tourists to visit as many interesting, unusual, famous objects that France offers. In addition, you need to take photos, shoot videos, so that many years later you will remember the bright moments from your life.

The address: France, 15 km west of Tours
Start of construction: XVI century
End of construction: XVIII century
Major attractions: gardens, donjon, interior decoration of the 18th century castle
Coordinates: 47 ° 20′26 ″ N, 0 ° 30′51 ″ E

Content:

Short description

The amazingly beautiful gardens of the Villandry castle, its luxurious interior decoration and enchanting external appearance, annually attract the attention of hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world.

This is not surprising at all, almost every traveler after visiting the French castle of Villandry, sharing his impressions, speaks of the amazing, literally magical atmosphere with which every centimeter of the castle and the surrounding lands is "saturated". “As soon as you get to the territory of Villandry castle, it seems as if you are transported many centuries ago.

Two "wings" of the castle

Everything around speaks about luxury, about excellent taste, about the desire of a person to create a unique interior that has no equal in the world "- approximately these words can be heard from people who have already visited the elegant castle of Villandry," successfully "located on the coast of the longest and beautiful French river Loire, near the town of Tours.

However, in fairness, it is worth noting that France is rich in historical monuments of history and architecture, however, Villandry Castle is one of the selected number of Loire castles, which, of course, cannot but affect its popularity among tourists and people who want to get to know the history in more detail. France, features of its culture, national traditions.

View of the main tower of the castle

Castle Villandry - history

The history of the castle dates back to the 1200s. In those distant times, the ancient structure looked more like a fortification than a castle and, of course, was a "tidbit" for many ill-wishers. However, according to historical facts, it was within the walls of this fortress that the most important meeting of the two kings of France and England took place. On June 4, 1189, the Azay-le-Rideau peace treaty was signed between the countries in favor of the French king Philippe-Augustus.

For several centuries, the fortified fortress of Villandry was more likely a haven for soldiers than an elegant castle with large rooms and luxurious interiors. Only in the mid-1500s, when the ownership of the castle was transferred to the Secretary of State of Francis I, Jean le Breton, this building is experiencing its rebirth.

View of the water channel

Leading, by order of the head of state, the construction of the no less luxurious castles of Chambord and Fontainebleau, Jean le Breton decides to start building his own property, which would stand out favorably among the palaces and castles that were familiar for that time. His plans included the construction of a truly luxurious castle, impressive with an unusual architecture for France, which, in its festive appearance, would be different from the existing severe fortresses dating back to the Middle Ages. To bring his ideas to life, Jean le Breton orders to demolish almost all the ancient buildings of Villandry, with the exception of main tower located inside the fortress (donjon).

Castle and main tower view

It is not known for certain how long the construction of the new building lasted, but the date of the start of construction in historical sources is listed as 1536. Having razed the ancient castle to the ground, Jean le Breton erects a new building resembling an openwork horseshoe in its shape, the main entrance of which overlooks the shore famous Loire... According to many modern architects, the two "wings" of the building are made in the classical style of the Renaissance. Typical of them are quite impressive windows, framed by pilasters (half columns), topped with capitals; spiral curls with a so-called "eye" in the center; niches called tympanes in architectural circles. At the same time, arched galleries were built, which adorned both sides of the courtyard.

View of the Garden of Love at Villandry Castle

Jean la Breton, on behalf of the monarch, repeatedly visited Italy on a diplomatic mission, which gave the government official the opportunity to get closely acquainted with the unique masterpieces of Romanesque artists, whose works belonged to the Renaissance. Among them are unique paintings of amazing garden "ensembles", striking in their clear geometry and harmony with the architecture of the building. Jean le Breton, taking as a basis what he saw in Italy, also decides to replace the bulky fortress walls with a hedge. However, the French gardens in the Castle of Villandry occupy a much larger area than their "Italian templates".

In 1754, the castle became the property of the Marquis de Casteland, who decided to carry out a new reconstruction of the Villandry castle.

View of the Villandry gardens from the castle side

However, his plans do not include restoration work, parts of the building destroyed under the influence of time, but its reconstruction in the architectural style of that time. Then the window openings were slightly modified, which became much smaller and received an arched frame. In addition, balconies were added, new premises were added at the expense of former colonnades, which are now replaced by walls. In this form, the castle existed for almost two centuries.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Villandry Castle is undergoing another reconstruction. Outstanding and well-known in medical circles, Dr. Carvallio, who is also the future head of the Association of Owners of Historical Monuments, who was reputed to be a great connoisseur of the beautiful world, gives the idea of \u200b\u200breturning the Villandry castle to its original appearance.

Villandry Gardens

This decision was almost immediately approved by the government, which allowed Dr. Carvallio to take over all the organizational and construction issues related to translating his idea into reality.

According to the opinions of modern historians and archaeologists, the exterior of the Villandry castle, including the adjacent territory, was only partially reconstructed. So, for example, the window openings acquired their original appearance, the gallery of arcades was restored, the gardens were replanted, but the construction work did not affect the southern side of the building's facade and the interior of some rooms of the castle itself.

Villandry Castle - Inner Luxury

Traveling the world and admiring the luxury or, on the contrary, the asceticism of the interior decoration of castles and palaces, a tourist, finding himself for the first time in the French castle of Villandry, will be extremely surprised to see the splendor and wealth for which this castle is so famous throughout the world.

Canteen

Indeed, the interior is striking in its beauty, no matter what room the traveler is in. In many of them you can see armchairs and chairs of the 18th century, made of precious woods and upholstered with silk fabrics produced at the famous weaving factory in the city of Tura, which, by the way, is still functioning today. The bedrooms admire with their beauty, of which there are quite a few in the castle and they were intended both for guests and for the owners of Villandry and their children.

The restored room of Prince Jerome, who, as is known from history, was the younger brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, and who for several years was the owner of Villandry during the existence of the French Empire.

Castle kitchen

The red color of the room speaks for itself: furniture made of expensive mahogany; curtains to match the furniture; walls draped with red cloth - all this emphasizes belonging to the greatest, richest and most powerful Empire.

It is impossible not to say about the living rooms, or to be precise, about their ceiling decoration. First of all, I would like to note their domed shape, but the "highlight" lies in the unique pattern, made of many layers of wood, each of which in turn is covered with gold. There are four living rooms in Villandry Castle. Today, you can see such a unique ceiling in just one of them. The other three ceiling patterns are on display in prestigious museums in Europe.

Prince Jerome's room

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

Castle Villandry - gardens

It would be an unforgivable mistake, when talking about the castle of Villandry, just in passing to mention its gardens, located around the castle on three (!) Levels. As mentioned above, Jean le Breton, having studied the subtleties of the art of landscaping, which were embodied in the paintings of Italian artists, decided to lay out gardens on the territory of his castle. Nowadays, they have been completely restored and are real masterpieces that will not leave indifferent any traveler.

The bedroom of Dr. Carvalho's wife, Anne Coleman

The upper level of the gardens, which some guides refer to as the "Water Mirror", is an ensemble consisting of a smooth lake surrounded by fruit trees, and between them small winding paths.

The middle level of the gardens, divided into four large squares, according to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe "author", coincides with the first level of the Villandry castle. Its name, translated from French, sounds like "Gardens of Love". The garden is a kind of reflection of the concept of "love", where there is passion, and hatred, and tenderness and tragedy. The decorator managed to embody all these feelings with the help of all sorts of axle arrays of bushes. A heart pierced with an arrow, love notes, horns, masks, flames - all this is easy to see in the unique flowering squares.

Gardens

It is also worth adding that in the southern side of the "Garden of Love" three diamond-shaped massifs grow simultaneously. They represent three heraldic symbols: the Cross of the Basque Country, the Cross of Malta and the Cross of Languedoc.

The lower level is the real small vegetable gardens where carrots, beets, pumpkins, cabbage grow. In addition, fruit trees have been planted, with preference given to apple and pear trees. The composition is framed by small fountains in the shape of an eight-pointed star, which, on the one hand, serve for watering, and on the other, act as a decoration for this unique fruit and vegetable garden. Although, it is worth noting that at present watering and irrigation of the entire garden is carried out by the water channel, which literally "surrounds" the entire territory of the castle of Villandry.

Castle pond view

By the way, the seeds of some local plants are sold on the territory of the Villandry castle, so every tourist, if desired, can buy this unique souvenir as a keepsake so that, planting it in his homeland, remember the unique and inimitable French garden.

Villandry Castle - tourist guide

Today, Villandry Castle is a monument of history and architecture, which every day invites everyone to come. Experienced travelers advise many tourists who find themselves in France in the city of Tours, known to many for the Cathedral of Saint-Gatien, to take the time and, if possible, make a trip to the castle of Villandry.

Castle Villandry, or rather its gardens, we have planned for ourselves more houses for a mandatory inspection, the rest of the castles, we chose spontaneously right on the spot. In the Loire Valley, about 300 castles have survived to date, in addition to castles, there are also troglodyte caves, abbeys, cities and ancient cathedrals. We allotted ourselves 2 days for the Loire Valley, but in reality you can spend two weeks there, there is something to see.

In the morning we left Karnak and in 3 hours were already in Villandry. On French expressways, there are signs on the side of the road that tell you which attractions you are passing in the area, but it is not at all obvious where you need to exit the expressways to reach the described attraction. The only chance is to rely on the navigator. The heat in July in the Loire Valley was stifling, no breeze, no cloud in the sky.

An adult ticket costs 9.5 euros - castle + gardens, 6.5 euros only gardens. Children and students are free. There is no Russian audio guide, but along with the ticket they give a colorful brochure describing the gardens in Russian. Parking nearby is free. The gift shop sells flower seeds, we bought and even grew flowers in the Leningrad region.

Castle Villandry, built in 1536, is the last of the great castles to be erected on the banks of the Loire during the Renaissance. For the construction of the castle, Jean Le Breton, Minister of Finance of Francis the First, demolished the old fortress of the 12th century, from which today only the foundation and the inner donjon remain.

But the castle is famous not so much for its architectural decoration as for its three-tiered formal gardens. The decoration of the castle pales before the splendor of the gardens. The Villandry Gardens belong to the Italian Renaissance style gardens, the forerunners of the classic French gardens.

A little history of Villandry

The heirs of Jeanne Le Breton owned Villandry until 1754, when the estate passed into the possession of the Marquis de Casteland, the royal ambassador, a representative of a noble Provencal family. During his reign, annexes in the classical style were made, which are located on both sides of the front yard. He also changed the interiors of the castle and brought them in line with the ideas of comfort adopted in the 18th century.

Significant changes took place in the 19th century - the traditional garden was destroyed when an English park was created around the castle. In 1906, the castle was acquired by Joaquim Carvalho, who was born in Spain in 1869. He abandoned his scientific career, which he had pursued with Professor Charles Richet (Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1913), and devoted himself entirely to the restoration of the Castle of Villandry. For restoration, he used a literary source - a book on architecture of the XVI century "The most remarkable architectural structures France ". Its author - J. Androuet du Cersot - described the layout of French gardens during the Renaissance. Joaquim supplemented this work archaeological excavations, during which the remains of an old French-style park were discovered. On this basis, the gardens were recreated that delight us today. Joaquim Carvalho is also famous for the fact that in 1924 he founded the "Historic House", the first association that brought together the owners of historic castles, and initiated the opening of these architectural monuments to the general public.

Villandry Gardens

Villandry gardens are divided into as many as 7 gardens of different nature. If you think that these are just beautiful geometric shapes, then you are deeply mistaken. Each drawing in the flower beds and each characteristic method of cutting shrubs has a deep meaning.

The first is the ornamental garden of Villandry.

Panoramic view of ornamental gardens.

The ornamental ornamental garden is located above the vegetable garden and is an extension of the castle's living rooms. In order to fully capture it with a glance, you need to climb the belvedere. From there, four squares located below are clearly visible, which form the so-called "Gardens of Love".

Gardens of love

"Tender love" symbolize hearts separated by tongues of flame. In the center, the bush is trimmed in the form of ball masks. (upper left corner of the photo above)

"Passionate love" also formed by hearts, but these are hearts broken by passion. They are intertwined and associated with dance. (upper right corner of the photo above)

"Fickle love" - these are four fans at the corners that embody the changeability of feelings. There are horns between them - a symbol of treason and deceived love. (lower left corner of the photo above)

"Tragic love" shown with the blades of daggers and swords in memory of duels due to rivalry in love. Red flowers are an allegory of spilled blood. (bottom right corner of the photo above)

Near the Gardens of Love are three large arrays in the form of three crosses - in the center is the Maltese cross, to the left of it is the Languedoc, and to the right is the Basque. Stylized lily flowers are located along the ditches. (photo below)

Ornamental garden, view of the crosses

On the other side of the canal is the "second salon", where the shrubbery embodies the allegory of music. Here you can see the lyres, stylized musical notes and candelabra needed to illuminate the score.

Villandry Water Garden

The Garden of Water has a classic Louis XV style and is set around a large mirror-shaped pond surrounded by linden trees. It is the perfect place to relax and meditate and take a break while exploring.

Sun garden

The newly created garden is called solar. This garden with three types of vegetation - beautiful place for relax. Shrubs and plants with white and blue flowers form the "room of clouds". The Sun Room is designed in yellow and orange colors.

Villandry's Labyrinth

The labyrinth is full of charm and embodies the allegory of life's journey. It is based on the Christian tradition and, unlike the Greek labyrinth, has no dead ends. Therefore, the visitor's task is not to find a way out, but to gradually get rid of everything vain on the way to the central tent.

A pharmaceutical garden is located between the vegetable garden and the church. This is a traditional medieval garden where aromatic herbs, spices and medicinal plants grow.

Garden Garden

Garden garden view

There is a typical Renaissance garden between the castle and the village. It consists of nine squares of the same size with different geometric patterns.

The squares are planted with vegetables of various colors (blue leeks, red cabbage and beets, green carrot tops) so that you get the impression of a multi-colored checkerboard. The tradition of such a garden-garden dates back to the Middle Ages. The monks of the abbey often gave the vegetable beds a geometric shape, most often the shape of a cross. Rosehip seedlings also symbolize the monks bent over their beds. The second tradition came from Italy and brought decorative elements to the monastery garden: fountains, gazebos and flower beds.

French gardeners of the 16th century combined both traditions - the monastery and the Italian - and created a new type of garden, where they planted roses and planted new vegetables brought from the Americas. They called this garden an ornamental vegetable garden. Such gardens were described by Jacques Androuet du Cerso, an architect of the 16th century. At the beginning of the 20th century, his plans inspired Joaquim Carvalho to restore his gardens.

Maintenance of Villandry Gardens

Naturally, these gardens require careful maintenance and are very laborious to maintain. Two plantings are made in the garden every year: one in the spring (from March to June), the second in the summer (from June to November). About forty types of vegetables are planted each year, belonging to eight botanical families. With each planting, the composition changes taking into account the harmonious combination of colors and shapes, as well as adherence to gardening rules, indicating that a three-year cycle of alternating plantings will avoid soil depletion

Since 2009, gardeners have revised their farming methods in favor of "organic farming": digging, loosening, and introducing beneficial insects into the garden can eliminate pesticide treatment. This change required new working methods and a small additional cost. This is largely offset by the impressive result and the renewed interest of gardeners in their profession. Irrigation is carried out by a dug-in automatic irrigation system in a closed circle.

These gardens, strictly adhering to widely used principles of symmetry, require constant maintenance. The 1,015 linden trees that grow throughout the garden also require an annual winter pruning, which four gardeners work on for three months.

The total length of hedges is 52 km and should be pruned regularly from April to October.

Each year, 115,000 flowers and vegetables are planted in the garden, 50% are grown in the garden's greenhouses, the rest is imported from other greenhouses.

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