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Founded: 12th centuryCategory: Castles and fortifications in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)
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Bruniquel castle is often called Châteaux de Bruniquel (i.e. castles, plural). This is because, two centuries after its construction, the castle was shared between two branches of the Comminges house, hence château vieux (old castle) and château jeune (young castle).
According to Gregory of Tours, the Merovingian Queen Brunehaut or Brunhilda built the first castle, 'château vieux' or 'castel Biel in the 6th century on the site of a Roman castrum.
Of the early 12th century castle, the only remains are partial foundations, parts of walls and the keep, the so-called Tour de Brunehaut. The site has been altered at various times, notably in the 13th, 15th, 17th and 19th centuries.
The 'château vieux' still has its keep from the 12th century, an era when the castle was the property of the Counts of Toulouse, and its residence from the 13th century. It also has a Renaissance gallery; other parts have undergone extensive remodelling in the 18th and 19th centuries. The keep is named after Brunehaut (la tour de la Reine Brunehaut).
The 'château jeune' dominates the confluence of the rivers Aveyron and Vère from a height of 90 m. It was built between 1485 and 1510 and was remodelled during the Baroque period. Its Renaissance gallery has six arcades.
The whole site has been classified as a historic monument since 1840 and has recently been restored. The castle is open to the public from March to mid-November.
References: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.