The Château de Passy-les-Tours is a ruined

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

in the '' commune'' of Varennes-lès-Narcy in the Nièvre '' département'' of France.

History

With an oblong plan about 50 m long flanked with four round towers in the corners, the castle was built at the end of the 14th century by Jean de Chevenon, then counsellor to King Charles VI of France. The 25 m high keep dominates the vaulted entrance. Its architecture was inspired by the Château de Vincennes in Paris and its imposing towers (''tours'') give their name to the village of Passy-les-Tours. During the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...

, from 1422, it was occupied by captain Perrinet Gressard who opposed

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...

at the siege of La Charité-sur-Loire in 1429. Badly damaged during the Wars of Religion, in 1782 the castle became the property of the marquis de Vergennes, politician and diplomat, who did not restore it. Neither did successive owners. On the contrary, the castle's stones were used in other constructions. The castle is privately owned. It has been listed since 1927 as a '' monument historique'' by the

French Ministry of Culture The Ministry of Culture () is the ministry (government department), ministry of the Government of France in charge of List of museums in France, national museums and the . Its goal is to maintain the French identity through the promotion and pro ...

Architecture

The Château de Passy-les-Tours was probably constructed by the same architect as the Château de Chevenon.

References

External links

*
Les Tours de Passy
website of the castle's preservation association Ruined castles in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Monuments historiques of Nièvre {{France-castle-stub

History

Architecture

See also

References

External links