Château d'Étampes, Medieval castle in Étampes, France.

Château d'Étampes is a medieval castle ruin in central France with several structures dating back 800 years. The most striking remains include a tower with an unusual four-lobed design that was built to strengthen the fortress.

The fortress was built in the early 1100s and served as a major defensive stronghold for the region for several centuries. It was later damaged by royal orders and gradually abandoned, eventually becoming the ruin visible today.

The castle appears in medieval manuscripts like the Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, showing how important this place was in regional life. Today visitors can see how artists of that time portrayed this fortress and understand its role in local identity.

The site can be reached via marked pathways and visitors can explore the remains on their own or join guided tours. It is advisable to wear comfortable shoes and move carefully on uneven ground.

The keep's four-lobed plan was a mid-12th-century experiment to deflect missiles and eliminate dead ground, with each circular lobe letting defenders cover the foot of the walls. Clifford's Tower in York is believed to have been inspired by Étampes, and the design resembles the keeps of Ambleny and nearby Houdan.