Château de Laval, Medieval castle in Laval, France.
Château de Laval comprises two distinct parts: the Old Castle with medieval fortifications and the New Castle featuring Renaissance architectural elements. Both sections can be explored together to see how the building evolved across different periods.
The castle was built in the 10th century on a rocky hill above the Mayenne River, marking the foundation of Laval and its noble lineage. Over time it evolved from a defensive stronghold into a residence that displayed wealth and power through its architecture.
The Old Castle houses the Museum of Naive and Singular Arts, which has displayed works from these artistic movements since 1967. This collection transforms the medieval walls into a space where contemporary artistic expressions find their home.
The castle can be explored through either guided or self-guided visits, with both options taking you through the different sections. It helps to allow enough time to properly see both the medieval and Renaissance areas plus the museum collections.
The main tower features a rare 13th-century wooden hoarding, making it one of the few surviving examples of this medieval defensive technique. Such details reveal how craftspeople of that era protected castles from assault.
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