Château de Saumur

The origins of the Château de Saumur date back to the 13th century when a fortress was erected on the site. Around 1370, Duke Louis I of Anjou, seeking a representative residence, had the complex transformed into a magnificent castle. He commissioned the construction of four wings with corner towers around a courtyard, built upon the existing strong foundations. The Book of Hours of Duke John of Berry, the Très Riches Heures, depicts the castle in its former splendor, although many decorative elements such as the original roof design and tower ornaments are now missing. After the death of the last Duke of Anjou in 1480, the duchy and thus the castle passed to the French crown. It subsequently served as the seat of the governor and a garrison. Around 1600, after the Wars of Religion, Saumur became an important Protestant stronghold. The then governor Duplessis-Mornay resided in the castle and had it reinforced with star-shaped bastions and a comprehensive defense system of bulwarks and casemates. After his removal from office in 1621, the castle began to decline. It was used as a prisoner-of-war camp, dungeon, and warehouse. Under Napoleon, it served as a state prison, later as a barracks, and an armory. The northwest wing collapsed and was never rebuilt.

The Château de Saumur is located in Saumur, a city in the Maine-et-Loire department in the Pays de la Loire region, France. It stands at an elevation of approximately 79 m above sea level.

Today, the castle is open to visitors. It houses a museum of decorative arts with furniture, decorations, and tapestries, as well as a horse museum that illustrates the evolution of equestrian art and technique over the centuries. The city of Saumur is renowned for its long equestrian tradition.

• Château de Montsoreau (castle), approx. 11.2 km away
• Château de Trèves (castle), approx. 11.4 km away
• Château de Montreuil-Bellay (castle), approx. 15.1 km away
• Château du Bois de Sanzay (castle), approx. 23.0 km away