Château de Charles-Le-Téméraire, Medieval castle in Charolles, France.
Château de Charles-Le-Téméraire is a medieval fortress built around a semicircular defensive layout with towers such as the Diamond Tower and Archives Tower. The structure now houses the city's administrative offices, with its original layout still visible within the modern use.
The fortress dates to the 13th century and received major reinforcements between 1310 and 1317 when Jean de Clermont added nine towers to strengthen its defenses. By the mid-15th century, its design was modified to adapt to emerging artillery warfare.
The castle served as the administrative heart of medieval Charolles and remains central to how locals understand their town's past. Walking through its spaces, visitors sense how this role shaped the community over centuries.
The castle now functions as City Hall and is open for visitors to explore its medieval architecture and layout. Since it remains an active government building, only public areas and courtyards are typically accessible to tourists.
The fortress maintains its distinctive semicircular footprint despite multiple military modifications over the centuries, a design choice rarely seen in similar French castles. This unusual geometry was deliberately planned to provide optimal defensive coverage of the surrounding area.
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