Château des ducs de Bretagne

About

The castle of the Dukes of Brittany is one of the emblematic buildings of the French city of Nantes, which was part of the province of Brittany until 1789. Mainly built in the 15th century, but with elements dating from the 14th to the 18th century, this castle, first ducal fortress, became royal fortress when the Duchy of Brittany was incorporated into the royal domain in 1532, then state fortress after the Revolution. Ranked a historic monument in 1840, it was ceded to the commune in 1915 and later became a historic place, hosting the Nantes Museum of History, established following a long period of work at the beginning of the 21st century.

This castle has long been called Nantes Castle. The current name, which appeared only in 1923 under the pen of a local writer, Marc Elder, is now commonly used, especially in tourist literature. Founded by Guy de Thouars in the 13th century to form a defensive base in Nantes, the castle became, under Francis II, the principal residence of the Breton ducal.

His military function was also used by the Duke during the Mad War in which he opposed the King of France. His...