Château de Cadillac, Cadillac, France

Château de Cadillac is located at 35 km from the city of Bordeaux, it overlooks the Garonne river and the walled town of Cadillac. The monument was built at the request of Jean-Louis de Nogaret de la Valette (1554-1642), first Duke of Épernon, its primary function was to house the Dukes of Épernon. The castle thus embodies the all-powerful duke, who amasses wealth and honors before he died in disgrace during the reign of Louis XIII.

The building is both a witness of the late Renaissance, but also announces the classicism of the XVII century. Originally, the castle and two wings surrounding a courtyard on three sides, it notably has carved stone fireplaces and marble, painted ceilings of the XVII century tapestries, which testify to the splendor of the residence. Seized during the French Revolution, he served as a prison for women, then a psychiatric hospital. The castle has been reopened for tourists.

User Reviews

david gripper (2 years ago)
Visit made more interesting by theatrical presentation by the 'Duke' hemself and initiation into dances of the period...

Thomas Nikles (2 years ago)
Typical French - beautiful

Lucy Stocks (3 years ago)
Lovely place to visit, interesting history! Affordable, free for less than 26 year olds and only €6 for others. Doesn't take long to wander around the whole castle, only need 1-2 hours. Would also recommend going into the cathedral opposite the castle

John M Bell (3 years ago)
A hidden gem worth finding. Tapestries hang in almost every room. They are magnificent & have been well cared for. The walk through the castle is highlighted by English & French descriptions. Children will also enjoy the fairy tale themes.

michael & jeannie miller (4 years ago)
The staff was very kind and attentive to my needs as a reduced-mobility person. The castle had impressive original tapestries in wonderful condition, and an unusual but fascinating history of what happened there.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Andy Hay

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Argos Theater

The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.

The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.

Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.

Château de Cadillac

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