Chateaux of Brittany
Château de Lanniron
Château de Lanniron belonged to the bishops of Quimper since the 12th century. In the 15th century, Lord Bertrand de Rosmadec erected a new manor which his successors used until the end of the 18th century either as a permanent residence or a summer residence. In the 17th century, Lord François de Coëtlogon extended the property. He will be remembered not only for his great deeds as a bishop but also for creating wonde ...Château de la Motte-Glain
The Château de la Motte-Glain was built by Pierre de Rohan-Gié in 1495 on the site of an older fortress belonging to the lords of Rougé. Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII stayed there in 1497 and Charles IX and Catherine de' Medici in 1565. It was bought in 1635 by par Michel Le Loup, counsellor to the Parlement of Brittany. The castle was modified by Pierre de Rohan-Gié in the 17th century. The castle includes a gat ...Château de l'Oiselinière
The Oiselinière estate was, before the French Revolution a 'Seigniory'. It is mentioned as early as 1335 in the charter 'Les Actes'. It spreads over the districts of Gorges and Clisson, and under the feudal system depended on the Seigneurs of Clisson and Pallet. For 643 years, this Seigniory only changed families four times: Maurice le Meigen was the owner, then in 1460 one of this descendants t ...Château de Caradeuc
The Chateau de Caradeuc was built in 1722 by Anne-Raoul Caradeuc de la Chalotais. It is most famous by its gardens, built in the 19th century on the woodland hills of Bécherel in the formal French style. Gardens were designed in 1898 by Edouard André. Decorated with many statues the gardens offer a spectacular panorama over the high valley of the Rance. They are open on weekends and bank holidays in May, June and Septem ...Château de La Guyomarais
Château de La Guyomarais was built in the 16th century, but it the estate was owned by Guyomarais family already in the 15th century. Today castle is a private property.Château de Hac
Château de Hac is a large castle built in the first half of 15th century. It has a rectangular main building flanked of five turrets. The present castle has not been altered much. The Gothic furniture and interior date from the 15th and 16th centuries. At the beginning of 15th century, it was the residence of the constable Arthur de Richemont and was the prerogative of the families of Richemont, Hingant, Tournemine ...Château de Lorge
Château de Lorge was built between 1721-1740 by Guy-Nicolas de Durfort, the Duke of Lorges. The castle consists of fine ensemble of 18th century main building and two annexes.Château de Kergos
Château de Kergos has been owned by Kernafflen and Kergos families since 1684. It was built in the 16th century and several parts have survived without alterations. The park with a pond and arboretum was built in the 18th century.Château du Bois-Cornillé
Château du Bois-Cornillé dates originally from the 13th century, but the current castle was built by Pierre Landais in the late 15th century. It was completely renovated in the 18th century and only the medieval tower survived. The chapel dates from 1721. The park was designed by Eugene Denis Bühler and Édouard André in 1876.Manoir de Mézarnou
The Manoir de Mézarnou is a fortified 16th century manor-house built on the site of an old medieval building, property in 1091, of Pierre André de Parcevaux, husband of Sybille de Trogoff. In 1145, Ollivier de Parcevaux donated to the abbey of Relecq. In 1250, Pierre de Parcevaux accompanied sire de Chateaubriand to the Holy Land with King Louis and the Duke of Brittany during the Seventh Crusade. In 1297, P ...Château de Chassay
There was a Gallo-Roman villa on the site of Château de Chassay already in the 6th century AD. The castle is mentioned in the 1096 in a bishop letter. The current château was built in the 16th century. King Henry IV visited there in 1598. The castle was abandoned from the French Revolution until 1827, when it was acquired by Countess de Bondy. Today it is owned by the municipality.Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings
Historic Site of the week
Veste Coburg
The Veste Coburg is one of Germany's largest castles. The hill on which the fortress stands was inhabited from the Neolithic to the early Middle Ages according to the results of excavations. The first documentary mention of Coburg occurs in 1056, in a gift by Richeza of Lotharingia. Richeza gave her properties to Anno II, Archbishop of Cologne, to allow the creation of Saalfeld Abbey in 1071. In 1075, a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul is mentioned on the fortified Coberg. This document also refers to a Vogt named Gerhart, implying that the local possessions of the Saalfeld Benedictines were administered from the hill.
A document signed by Pope Honorius II in 1206 refers to a mons coburg, a hill settlement. In the 13th century, the hill overlooked the town of Trufalistat (Coburg's predecessor) and the important trade route from Nuremberg via Erfurt to Leipzig. A document dated from 1225 uses the term schloss (palace) for the first time. At the time, the town was controlled by the Dukes of Merania. They were followed in 1248 by the Counts of Henneberg who ruled Coburg until 1353, save for a period from 1292-1312, when the House of Ascania was in charge.
In 1353, Coburg fell to Friedrich, Markgraf von Meißen of the House of Wettin. His successor, Friedrich der Streitbare was awarded the status of Elector of Saxony in 1423. As a result of the Hussite Wars the fortifications of the Veste were expanded in 1430.
Early modern times through Thirty Years' War
In 1485, in the Partition of Leipzig, Veste Coburg fell to the Ernestine branch of the family. A year later, Elector Friedrich der Weise and Johann der Beständige took over the rule of Coburg. Johann used the Veste as a residence from 1499. In 1506/07, Lucas Cranach the Elder lived and worked in the Veste. From April to October 1530, during the Diet of Augsburg, Martin Luther sought protection at the Veste, as he was under an Imperial ban at the time. Whilst he stayed at the fortress, Luther continued with his work translating the Bible into German. In 1547, Johann Ernst moved the residence of the ducal family to a more convenient and fashionable location, Ehrenburg Palace in the town centre of Coburg. The Veste now only served as a fortification.
In the further splitting of the Ernestine line, Coburg became the seat of the Herzogtum von Sachsen-Coburg, the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg. The first duke was Johann Casimir (1564-1633), who modernized the fortifications. In 1632, the fortress was unsuccessfully besieged by Imperial and Bavarian forces commanded by Albrecht von Wallenstein for seven days during the Thirty Years' War. Its defence was commanded by Georg Christoph von Taupadel. On 17 March 1635, after a renewed siege of five months' duration, the Veste was handed over to the Imperials under Guillaume de Lamboy.
17th through 19th centuries
From 1638-72, Coburg and the Veste were part of the Duchy of Saxe-Altenburg. In 1672, they passed to the Dukes of Saxe-Gotha and in 1735 it was joined to the Duchy of Saxe-Saalfeld. Following the introduction of Primogeniture by Duke Franz Josias (1697-1764), Coburg went by way of Ernst Friedrich (1724-1800) to Franz (1750-1806), noted art collector, and to Duke Ernst III (1784-1844), who remodeled the castle.
In 1826, the Duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was created and Ernst now styled himself 'Ernst I'. Military use of the Veste had ceased by 1700 and outer fortifications had been demolished in 1803-38. From 1838-60, Ernst had the run-down fortress converted into a Gothic revival residence. In 1860, use of the Zeughaus as a prison (since 1782) was discontinued. Through a successful policy of political marriages, the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha established links with several of the major European dynasties, including that of the United Kingdom.
20th century
The dynasty ended with the reign of Herzog Carl Eduard (1884-1954), also known as Charles Edward, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a grandson of Queen Victoria, who until 1919 also was the 2nd Duke of Albany in the United Kingdom. Under his rule, many changes made to the Veste in the 19th century were reversed under architect Bodo Ebhardt, with the aim of restoring a more authentic medieval look. Along with the other ruling princes of Germany, Carl Eduard was deposed in the revolution of 1918-1919. After Carl Eduard abdicated in late 1918, the Veste came into possession of the state of Bavaria, but the former duke was allowed to live there until his death. The works of art collected by the family were gifted to the Coburger Landesstiftung, a foundation, which today runs the museum.
In 1945, the Veste was seriously damaged by artillery fire in the final days of World War II. After 1946, renovation works were undertaken by the new owner, the Bayerische Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen.
Today
The Veste is open to the public and today houses museums, including a collection art objects and paintings that belonged to the ducal family of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a large collection of arms and armor, significant examples of early modern coaches and sleighs, and important collections of prints, drawings and coins.