Château de Marcilly-sur-Maulne, 17th century castle in Maulne Valley, France.
Château de Marcilly-sur-Maulne is a 17th century castle designed with a symmetrical layout of three pavilions surrounding a central core. The middle building houses a chapel and staircase, while the flanking pavilions contain residential and functional rooms that reflect the period's architectural standards.
Charles Fouquet, a senior French financial official, purchased the property in 1608 and commissioned a rebuild following architect Jacques Androuet du Cerceau's design principles. The estate took shape during an era when French nobility modernized their residences with new geometric and orderly layouts.
The chapel inside the central pavilion displays hand-painted ceiling frescoes from the 17th century with star patterns and optical illusion effects. Visitors can see these artworks firsthand during tours and understand how people decorated their private spaces during that era.
The castle operates as a private residence and is only accessible through guided tours, so visitors should wear sturdy footwear and be ready to climb stairs. Each tour lasts about 45 minutes and covers the main rooms of the residence.
The estate stables contain pink marble mangers dating from the Napoleon III period, a detail most visitors overlook. These feeding troughs reveal how even the horses' quarters received touches of luxury during that era.
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