Château d'Airvault, Medieval castle in Airvault, France.
Château d'Airvault is a medieval castle perched on a hill overlooking the Thouet valley, with a fortified wall featuring two crenellated towers and a rectangular gatehouse. Defense features include a portcullis mechanism and murder holes positioned throughout the structure.
King Philippe Auguste captured the castle during a siege in 1207, securing French control of the region. This military defeat marked a crucial shift in power dynamics across medieval Anjou.
The castle holds a prison with two vaulted cells lit only by narrow loopholes, reflecting how medieval builders designed confinement spaces. These rooms still convey the harsh conditions of the time.
Visitors can examine the defensive features such as the portcullis and murder holes from different viewpoints to understand the structure. The hillside location means sturdy footwear is helpful when walking around the site.
The castle was partly built on the foundations of an ancient Celtic oppidum, blending construction techniques from two different periods. This layering makes it a rare example of continuous military use of the site from antiquity through the Middle Ages.
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