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Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre today

France · Partial ruin

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre

The Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre is a medieval castle in the town of Mehun-sur-Yèvre, Cher, France. Major fabric dates to the early 13th century and a late-14th-century transformation into a princely residence by John, Duke of Berry; parts stand as high ruins today and it is classed as a monument historique.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1209

Its prime

1370

Today

Partial ruin

As it stood in 1370

What Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre looked like in its prime.

The castle occupies a trapezoid plan with a tall cylindrical tower at each corner and a rectangular tower midway along one long curtain wall. One corner tower is a much larger 12 m–diameter keep while the others are about 8 m across. The curtain wall originally housed an entrance between two towers, and manuscript images indicate a sizeable chapel built above that principal entrance. The surviving keep and the west tower reach full height and are finished with defensive machicolations; the site sits within the town.

Its story

The story of Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre.

The Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre was built on a trapezoid plan, originally with a tall cylindrical tower at each corner and a rectangular tower in the middle of one of the long sides; the largest tower, twelve metres across against eight for the others, served as the keep. In 1367 the fortress was transformed into a princely residence by John, Duke of Berry.

Manuscript illustrations indicate the castle also had a large chapel above the principal entrance. The keep and the west tower still stand to their full height, each capped with intricate defensive machicolations, and the château has been classed as a monument historique since 1840.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1370.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre, including 2 interiors: chapel above the principal entrance, inner courtyard (enclosed by the trapezoid plan). Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the town streetMain entrance between two towersChapel above the principal entranceBase of the large keepTop of the keep (battlements)West tower, exterior summitRectangular tower on the long curtain wallInner courtyard (enclosed by the trapezoid plan)

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Questions about Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre

What is the history of Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre?

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre began as a medieval fortress in the early 13th century, with major remains dating from after 1209. In 1367, John, Duke of Berry, transformed it into a princely residence. It later declined, was largely ruined in the 18th century, and was classified as a monument historique in 1840.

What is inside Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre?

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre contains the remains of a chapel above the principal entrance and an inner courtyard enclosed by its trapezoid plan. The chapel is now destroyed, but a departure of a vault, a console and the jamb of a window survive. The main tower houses the Charles VII museum and archaeological collections.

Why was Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre built, and what was it used for?

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre was built as a defensive fortress for the population of Mehun-sur-Yèvre and the medieval town organised itself around it. In the 14th century, John, Duke of Berry, transformed the fortress into a luxurious Gothic princely residence. Its later use includes a museum devoted to King Charles VII and his reign.

Where is Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre?

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre is in the town of Mehun-sur-Yèvre, in the Cher department. It stands on a rocky eminence overlooking the confluence of the Yèvre and the Annain, within the town itself.

When was Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre built?

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre was first raised in 1209, placing its foundation in the early 13th century. The major surviving fabric dates from the early 13th century and from later 14th-century remodelling. The princely-residence transformation began in 1367.

What did Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre look like in its prime?

At its height, Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre had a trapezoid plan with four tall cylindrical corner towers and a rectangular tower midway along one long curtain wall. The largest tower, 12 metres across, was the keep; the others were about 8 metres across. The keep and west tower reached full height and had defensive machicolations, while a chapel stood above the main entrance.

Is Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre still standing or is it a ruin?

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre is a partial ruin, with the keep and west tower still standing to their full height. The castle was largely ruined in the 18th century, and later fires, destruction, pillage and use as a stone quarry removed much of the building. Archaeological work has helped preserve the surviving ruins.

Who built Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre?

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre was commissioned under the Capetian House of Courtenay, and its later transformation into a luxurious residence was designed by Guy de Dammartin. The surviving remains chiefly reflect work carried out for John, Duke of Berry, from 1367 to 1390.

Can you visit Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre?

Château de Mehun-sur-Yèvre can be visited as a museum and heritage site. The main tower houses the Charles VII museum, and the castle is described as visitable, with archaeological collections on display. It has been classified as a monument historique since 1840.

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