Château d'Autricourt, Medieval fortress in Autricourt, France.
Château d'Autricourt is a fortress featuring round and square towers with arrow slits, surrounded by a water-filled moat. A circular dovecote on the eastern side and a U-shaped courtyard connect the different residential sections throughout the structure.
The fortress was built in the 11th century and changed hands multiple times over the centuries. Significant modifications occurred in the 16th and 19th centuries, each reshaping parts of the building to reflect new needs and preferences.
The castle demonstrates how residents merged defensive needs with comfortable living spaces across different periods. Walking through the rooms, you can sense how families adapted the structure to suit their own needs over generations.
Entry is through the U-shaped courtyard, which helps you navigate the grounds easily. The round and square towers serve as natural landmarks to orient yourself as you explore the different sections.
A five-sided tower contains an internal spiral staircase that merges defensive design with living space in an unusual way. This geometric solution demonstrates how medieval builders solved the challenge of fitting necessary functions into tight quarters.
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