Château de Tiffauges
The Château de Tiffauges is a medieval castle situated in the French commune of Tiffauges in the Vendée département.
The castle is also known as the château de Barbe-bleue (Bluebeard's castle) after its most famous resident, Gilles de Rais, known as Barbe-bleue. It was here that Bluebeard perpetrated his atrocities.
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[edit] Location
The castle is in the Marches (border lands) between Brittany, Poitou and Anjou and thus an important strategic point. It is positioned on a hill at the confluence of the Sèvre Nantaise and Crûme rivers, this position providing protection against assailants.
[edit] History
The castle was built between the 12th and 16th centuries. The notorious murderer, Gilles de Rais (1404–1440) is associated with the castle[1].
[edit] Today
For a long time, the castle was abandoned and lay in ruins, the inner yard even used for a while as a football pitch by the local club, RST Tiffauges. The castle is now owned by the Conseil Général of Vendée. It hosts a series of spectacles and collections, including medieval war machines and an alchemy centre.
[edit] See also
[edit] Sources
- This article incorporates information from this version of the equivalent article on the French Wikipedia.
[edit] External links
- Official site (French)
- Ministry of Culture database entry for Château de Tiffauges (French)
- Ministry of Culture photos
- Photograph and article on the château de Tiffauges
Coordinates: 47°01′00″N 1°06′53″W / 47.0166667°N 1.11472°W
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