Château de Branzac, Medieval castle in Pleaux, France
Château de Branzac is a castle in Pleaux, France, standing on a promontory with a rectangular main building flanked by two round corner towers and a central stair turret at the front. The structure displays architectural elements from different periods and has undergone recent stabilization work.
The castle was built in the 15th century as a manor house, replacing an ancient Roman villa on the same site. Its design incorporated architectural traditions from that era.
Italian artists created extensive frescoes throughout the castle in 1575, commissioned by Camille Caracciolo, one of Catherine de Medici's ladies-in-waiting. These works show how Renaissance art reached into rural France through aristocratic connections.
The castle is private property and must be viewed from a distance, as the structure still carries structural risks. Plan to observe from outside and enjoy the surrounding landscape.
One corner tower was destroyed using dynamite to provide stone for a nearby railway viaduct. This unusual fate reveals how essential modern infrastructure was deemed for the region during that period.
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