Castle Azay Le Rideau. France. 16 x 13 x 7 cm.

Description

Model of the Azay Le Rideau Castle, made of marble reconstituted with resin.

Size: 16 x 13 x 7 cm.

Castle Azay Le Rideau, France. Built from 1518 to 1527 by a rich banker (Gilles Berthelot) on an island in the Indre river, it consists of a large body of outbuildings and a square wing.

It is one of the most beautiful châteaux of the Loire and it has been said that it is ‘the jewel of the châteaux left by the Renaissance on the banks of the Loire’ (Viollet le Duc) or ‘a diamond set by the river Indre’ (Balzac).

This castle was built on the site of an old keep, burnt in revenge by the future Charles VII, who had the 350 men who made up his garrison put to the sword (the village was called Azay le Brûlé, i.e. the burnt one, for a long time). On the one hand, we can see certain elements of medieval castles, such as corner towers, battlements, access bridges, machicolations; on the other hand, the steeply pitched roof and slate roofing; the large windows with transoms, framed by pilasters and the slender pointed towers are reminiscent of the Renaissance. Finally, the castle is reflected in the water, which is a decorative element rather than a defensive one.