Château de Béthune, Medieval castle in La Chapelle-d'Angillon, France.
Château de Béthune is a castle featuring a six-story square keep, four corner towers, and a Renaissance wing arranged in a trapezoidal layout. The rooms display medieval furnishings and objects that reflect life across earlier centuries.
The castle was built in the 11th century for Gilon de Sully and underwent major transformations between 1470 and 1607 under Marie d'Albret and Maximilien de Béthune. These changes shaped its present form and added new architectural elements.
The castle houses the Alain-Fournier Museum, dedicated to the French author, and maintains collections of medieval artifacts and furnishings throughout its rooms.
Visitors should check accessibility since some interior areas have narrow stairs and uneven floors due to the building's age. Warm clothing is advisable as the thick walls keep the interior cool, especially in the higher levels of the keep.
The chapel ceiling displays numerical signatures of Marie d'Albret, a rare sign of female ownership in the Renaissance. The stereotomy staircase demonstrates advanced medieval stone-cutting techniques visible in the carefully shaped stones.
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