Château de Gien, Medieval castle in Gien, France
Château de Gien is a castle that rises on a rocky promontory above the Loire River, featuring a two-story south wing and three-story east wing. The building displays Gothic architectural elements and today functions as a large hunting museum.
The castle was built in the 15th century for Anne of France and later attracted famous royal visitors such as Francis I, Henry II, and Catherine de Medici. These illustrious guests reveal how important the estate became to the French ruling family.
The castle houses France's primary hunting museum, displaying over 3000 objects that show how hunting methods and weapons evolved through the centuries. Visitors see the role these practices held in French society and how they changed over time.
The castle is accessible for independent exploration, with the collection spread across several rooms throughout the building. It helps to move at a comfortable pace through the exhibition to enjoy all the rooms and their contents.
The castle was built before the Italian Renaissance movement influenced French architecture, so it retains pure Gothic style rather than mixed elements. This early construction makes it a rare example of French architecture from before this major shift.
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