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Castle of Saumur, Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire (Nickname: Christophe) |
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Castle of the Loire (Loire valley) : Saumur
Located in the French town of Saumur, in the Maine-et-Loire département, the Château de Saumur was originally constructed as a fortified stronghold. After its destruction in 1067, the château was rebuilt by a member of the powerful Plantagenet family.
In the early part of the 1200s, King Philippe II made Saumur part of his royal domain but his son, King Louis IX (Saint Louis) was responsible for the castle's rebirth. It changed hands several times until 1589 when the Protestant King Henri IV (of France and Navarre) gifted the castle to Duplessis-Mornay.
In 1621 the castle was converted into an army barracks then into a state prison under Napoleon Bonaparte. The castle has a dungeon and watchtower, and houses the Musée de la Figurine-Jouet, a collection of very old toys and figurines of soldiers, kings of France, and clowns.
In the first part of the 20th century, the city of Saumur acquired the castle and began a restoration program to house the museum of the decorative arts. In line with the Saumur area's equestrian tradition and its famous 'Cadre Noir', the castle also serves as a Museum of the Horse.
The Château de Saumur has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1862.
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