Centre des monuments nationaux

The essence of the monument

Do not be put off by the apparent austerity of this shale and limestone fortress, interspersed with 17 towers, which the young Saint Louis had built on the edge of his kingdom in 13th Century...

Cross the drawbridge and inside the castle walls you will find the pleasant residence of the Dukes of Anjou, composed of buildings constructed at the end of the gothic era and gardens. Other marvels await you, amongst which the highly exceptional Apocalypse tapestry, the largest medieval tapestry known to exist (it is 104 metres long), and the famous mille-fleurs and Passion tapestries...

Monument

Situated on a Gallo-Roman site, around the palace of the first counts of Anjou, who belonged to the Plantagenêt dynasty, the fortress of Angers dominates the city with its 17 towers built by Saint Louis between 1230 and 1240. It was one of the most formidable military constructions in the kingdom of France, and it still remains the best preserved one in the north of the Loire river.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, the dukes of Anjou settled their princely court there. Just like that of Burgundy or Berry, the court of Anjou exerted its influence over the political and artistic life of the kingdom of the De Valois family. It succumbed to first Italian influences of the Renaissance, as one can see in the Logis Royal gallery (royal suite).
The castle was made yet more beautiful by the king René in the 15th century. After being threatened of destruction during the wars of religion, the stronghold was transformed by the governor Donadieu de Puycharic, who fitted out artillery terraces on the former curtain walls.
A new presentation was created in the gallery of the castle in order to preserve the very famous tapestry of the Apocalypse. This masterpiece is more than 100 metre long and 6 metre high. It was woven for the duke Louis I of Anjou towards 1735 and then bequeathed to the Saint-Maurice cathedral by the king René of Anjou. It is the most famous medieval tapestry.