The Château de Blois is a complex made up of buildings
of three architectural styles. The two shots above show
the Louis XII wing of the château. It was built starting in 1499, at a time when
italianate buildings of Renaissance style were becoming fashionable,
but the Louis XII wing is basically a late Gothic structure.
On the right is the courtyard façade of the François 1er wing, on which construction started just a few years later in the early 16th century. The façade itself is italianate in style, but the protruding stair tower, which is also very ornate, is a standard feature of French Gothic architecture. The people bottom-left in the photo might give you an idea of the scale of the building.
On the right is the courtyard façade of the François 1er wing, on which construction started just a few years later in the early 16th century. The façade itself is italianate in style, but the protruding stair tower, which is also very ornate, is a standard feature of French Gothic architecture. The people bottom-left in the photo might give you an idea of the scale of the building.
The third wing of the château is a Classical-style building. It was built later than the two other wings, in the first half of the 17th century, and to my eye is a little stodgy instead of whimsical and sort of excentric.
King Louis XII chose the porcupine as his royal symbol. And on the right just above is another shot of king François 1er's salamander.
I was at a visiting farm a few weeks ago, and saw a porcupine for the first time. They gave us a porcupine quill to hold... wow, they are hard as nails, and that point is so sharp. Very interesting to see this as Louis XII's symbol.
ReplyDeleteThe three wings don't even look like the same building - so very different. I think Hampton Court outside London has the same kind of change in styles. I guess it's hard to stay in architectural fashion when the work spans a hundred years or so.
ReplyDeleteBlois is so interesting. The porcupine is almost as good as the salamander as far as symbols go.
ReplyDelete