Château de Falaise, Falaise, France

Château de Falaise is best known as a castle, where William the Conqueror, the son of Duke Robert of Normandy, was born in about 1028. William went on to conquer England and become king and possession of the castle descended through his heirs until the 13th century when it was captured by King Philip II of France. Possession of the castle changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War. The castle was deserted during the 17th century. Since 1840 it has been protected as a monument historique.

The castle (12th–13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag, was formerly the seat of the Dukes of Normandy. The construction was started on the site of an earlier castle in 1123 by Henry I of England, with the 'large keep' (grand donjon). Later was added the 'small keep' (petit donjon). The tower built in the first quarter of the 12th century contained a hall, chapel, and a room for the lord, but no small rooms for a complicated household arrangement; in this way, it was similar to towers at Corfe, Norwich, and Portchester, all in England. In 1202 Arthur I, Duke of Brittany was King John of England's nephew, was imprisoned in Falaise castle's keep. According to contemporaneous chronicler Ralph of Coggeshall, John ordered two of his servants to mutilate the duke. Hugh de Burgh was in charge of guarding Arthur and refused to let him be mutilated, but to demoralise Arthur's supporters was to announce his death. The circumstances of Arthur's death are unclear, though he probably died in 1203.

In about 1207, after having conquered Normandy, Philip II Augustus ordered the building of a new cylindrical keep. It was later named the Talbot Tower (Tour Talbot) after the English commander responsible for its repair during the Hundred Years' War. It is a tall round tower, similar design to the towers built at Gisors and the medieval Louvre.Possession of the castle changed hands several times during the Hundred Years' War. The castle was deserted during the 17th century. Since 1840, Château de Falaise has been recognised as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.

A programme of restoration was carried out between 1870 and 1874. The castle suffered due to bombardment during the Second World War in the battle for the Falaise pocket in 1944, but the three keeps were unscathed.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Duncan Parsons (8 months ago)
Magnificent . Entry to the chateau grounds is free. The views are splendid. You pay 9.50€ to enter chateau itself. Splendid place for a picnic .

Ilona (11 months ago)
Stone castle built by the first dukes of Normandy. It was enlarged after the conquest of England in 1066. It is very well maintained. Tablets are provided at the reception desk and enable the tour to be interactive and fun. During World War II antiaircraft guns were placed at the top of the tower.

Tiffany Marie (11 months ago)
A wonderful museum like experience in this historically significant castle. It is very well preserved and it has been turned into an interactive walkthrough with the use of projections and tablets. However, the only thing that takes me out of it is the furniture they have placed in it looks like it belongs in a kids play about royalty. It would be better without the furniture in my opinion. The castle is stunning on its own.

Peter Noble (2 years ago)
Spent over 2 hours inside. Very interesting experience. Lots of audio visual presentations about the history of William, his forebears and descendants. Free 3D pad which shows how various rooms would have looked at the time. The castle has been "renovated " in a modern but sensible manner, it was badly damaged over time and during the last war. Free to walk around the green areas outside where there are 3D binoculars showing what the areas looked like. Overall, it was a great experience. Not suitable for the physically challenged as there are lots of steps in the towers. Well worth the effort and time.

Bill Pentland (2 years ago)
Absolutely amazing! Was not on our itinerary but as we were in the neighborhood, we stopped and I am very thankful we did. Tremendous exhibit cleverly presented. Educational and inspiring. Every effort to bring the past alive has been made.

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 Falaise

Address

Details

More Information

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