Located between the city of Le Mans and that of Chartres, at the border of the Departments of Eure- et-Loir, Loir et Cher and Sarthe, Montmirail stands as a picturesque village which is home to its eponymous castle, a quite rightly exceptional site in many respects. This 15th century castle stands out indeed for its unobstructed view over the Sarthe Perche country which it overlooks from an altitude of more than 200 m. Its outstanding architecture reflects many periods, from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance period, the 17th and 18th centuries.
Dated as a roman site in the antiquity, then built as a simple wooden tower in the 5th century. The wooden structure edifice evolved over the years to eventually disappear and make place to the famous U shaped castle which struts over a central courtyard.
This medieval fortress now stands in contrast with the 18th century castle, the latter being a fully fledged dwelling where major historical figures resided.
References:The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.