Château d'Étampes
Château d'Étampes | |
---|---|
General information | |
Architectural style | Medieval |
Classification | Monument historique |
Town or city | Étampes |
Country | France |
Coordinates | 48°26′14″N 2°9′30″E / 48.43722°N 2.15833°E |
Construction started | 11th century |
Completed | 1150 |
Client | Robert II of France |
The Château d'Étampes was a castle in the town of Étampes in the department of Essonne, France. The principal remains are of the 12th-century keep, the Tour de Guinette.
History
The Château d'
Description of the Château
The architectural aspects of this former royal castle are known from contemporary images, including the
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.
See also
References
- Mesqui, Jean (1997). Chateaux-forts et fortifications en France. Paris: Flammarion. pp. 493 pp. ISBN 2-08-012271-1.