Prehľad:
Na východnom okraji Paríža, neďaleko mesta Vincennes a vedľa Bois de Vincennes, si prezrite bývalú pevnosť a kráľovské sídlo známe ako Château de Vincennes . Väčšina jeho výstavby sa uskutočnila v rokoch 1361 až 1369 a v 14. až 16. storočí slúžil ako obľúbený palác francúzskych kráľov, druhý po Palais de la Cité. Spoznajte fascinujúcu minulosť tejto pozoruhodnej stavby, ktorá slúžila ako väzenie a potom sa stala kasárňami a arzenálom počas napoleonskej éry.
Najdôležitejšie informácie
- Navštívte slávny zámok Château de Vincennes a nechajte sa fascinovať úplne bielou klasickou stredovekou budovou, ktorá svedčí o svojom niekdajšom postavení kráľovského paláca.
- Preskúmajte jeho vysoké veže a hladomorňu, ktoré slúžili na opevnenie hradu počas bitiek, a prejdite sa po jeho historických chodbách.
- Objavte dobre zachovanú stredovekú pevnosť, najvyššiu opevnenú vežu v Európe s výškou 52 metrov, kde zomrel kráľ Henrich V., a pozrite si, kde boli zadržiavaní Fouquet , markíz de Sade a Mirabeau.
- V kaplnke Sainte Chapelle de Vincennes zažite obdivuhodnú vonkajšiu honosnosť gotickej stavby a nádherné ružicové okno.
There is a Sainte Chapelle here too. It is the centrepiece of the courtyard of the castle. It's much simpler than Sainte Chapelle on L'Ile de la Cite but nevertheless it's very beautiful in quite a stark manner. Go up to the musicians gallery and check out the scraffiti incised into the stone rail. Bored nobles back in the day? It is a true castle - there's even a moat - and it is fortified with very serious walls! There is a classic donjon which you can explore from top to bottom and you can walk right round the covered walkway - there's graffiti both old and new there, including legitimate graffiti areas where you can leave your mark. Down the back of the central castle area are the Kings apartments which now provide temporary exhibition space. There was a military history exhibition there when I had visited and there had been a big antiques fair there the previous week, just being packed up. There were parties of excited school children who looked as though they were really enjoying their visit and I noted an extensive education centre and workshops in the middle courtyard. It is pretty clear that this is no simple tourist attraction but is a living and important part of the local community to this very day. It's a bit out of the way but easy to get to on the Metro and it's right in the middle of Vincennes with the Metro station just across the road. No need for a skip the line ticket. Versailles this ain't.
The Chateau Vincennes is located at the end of the Metro line. The entrance is only a hundred yards from the station exit. The Chateau was the residence and "office" of Charles V in the 14th century and is very well preserved. It remained the royal residence until Versailles was built by Louis XIV in the 17th century. Included in the complex are a Sainte-Chapelle modelled on the one in Paris Ile-de-la-Cite. The audio tour is excellent and the keep is especially fascinating with the security it provided for the monarch and his staff. You should allow about half a day to get there and tour the Castle. There are many shops and cafes immediately outside the entrance.
More than an impressive and well maintained medieval building, the Château de Vincennes served as a fort and has the largest fortified tower still preserved in France. In its interior is a chapel of XVI century, also of impressive proportions. The visit to the inner area is free. Access to the interior of the castle and the chapel is paid at a small fee.