Château de Simiane-la-Rotonde, Simiane-la-Rotonde, France

Simiane-la-Rotonde has remained practically unchanged for centuries. On the hilltop stands the truncated cone-shaped edifice that gave Simiane-la-Rotonde its name: the keep, or rotunda, of the old Château des Simiane-Agoult. Built in the 12th century, its massive exterior is remarkable for its hexagonal shape. The interior, an uneven dodecagon, is especially splendid. It is a vast room with a series of arches topped by finely sculpted capitals. The ceiling has a stone cupola of 12 ribbed vaults towering five metres high. It is an amazing example of Romanesque architecture, both civil and military.

The southern wing of the castle has also been restored and you can visit parts of the main building and the fortifications. The rooms on the ground floor date from the Middle Ages and recount the castle's history. The upper floor, in Renaissance style, houses the Sainte Victoire Aromatherapy Laboratory, which offers workshops in essential oils to the public.The castle is also the magical setting for exhibitions and the international festival of early music Les Riches Heures Musicales de la Rotonde in August.

References:

avignon-et-provence.com

User Reviews

Frans Diederik (11 months ago)
Lovely medieval town and an extremely interesting round 'Hall'

romain roux (12 months ago)
The visit of the castle is 5.5 euros per person. Not worth it at all. 2 nearly empty rooms and the rotonde. Done in 20 minutes.

Graham Reynolds (2 years ago)
This a beautiful location, allow half a day, lots of up hill, very tranquil and classic buildings of the area, small “castle” at the top with a €5 entry. Worth a visit

Lars Rohman (3 years ago)
Beautiful middle age village

Chris Brown (6 years ago)
Lovely little village nestled on side of hill. Old worldly. Castle at top is worth a visit but take student cards etc for discount as a smidge pricey (but hey, it's a tourist spot). One room has lavender oils etc in it if you are into that. You can buy lavender stuff too and fantastically high prices. Views from castle are staggeringly pretty. Well worth a visit.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Following Hadrian

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople

The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul) since its founding as the new capital of the Roman Empire by Constantine the Great. With numerous additions and modifications during their history, they were the last great fortification system of antiquity, and one of the most complex and elaborate systems ever built. They were also the largest and strongest fortification in both the ancient and medieval world.

Initially built by Constantine the Great, the walls surrounded the new city on all sides, protecting it against attack from both sea and land. As the city grew, the famous double line of the Theodosian Walls was built in the 5th century. Although the other sections of the walls were less elaborate, they were, when well-manned, almost impregnable for any medieval besieger.

Château de Simiane-la-Rotonde

Address

Details

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Walls of Constantinople