Schwarzenberg Castle was based on a medieval fortification and together with St. George's Church dominates the scene of the large county town of Schwarzenberg.
The castle was probably founded in the 12th century as a fort and was the original base for the settlement of Schwarzenberg and its vicinity. The former castle was given its present appearance by a conversion into a hunting lodge for the Electorate of Saxony from 1555 to 1558. In 1851-52 its keep and south wing were raised and, in 1875-76, an office building extension was added.
References: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.