Vizmburk Castle was founded by Tas or Peter of Skalice and it was mentioned first time in 1279. This noble house with the stirrup in their coat of arms was known already in the 12th century, when their members held the burgrave office in Kladsko. The Vizmburk estate was a fairly large one with the economic centre in the town of Úpice.
In 1330 the the lords of Dubá owned the estate. Jiří of Dubá supported the Hussites movement which resulted in frequent raids of his estate by Silesian troops. The princes and burghers of Silesia and Lusatia eventually sealed the faith of the Vizmburk castle. Instead of arms they used the power of money. In 1447 the castle was bought up and intentionally demolished.
The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.
