Château de la Roche-Jagu, Ploëzal, France

Built in the 15th century on the site of an earlier medieval fort, the Gothic Château de la Roche-Jagu was much larger originally. The one main wing left standing has severe good looks. There are few openings of any sort on the side dominating the river, reflecting its defensive role. However, a staggering line of 19 chimneys in a row adds a decorative flourish along the crest of the building. The façade on the other side is much lighter and more charming, with a fair number of windows, plus an eccentric tower perched up high.

The building has undergone major restoration work since the Côtes d’Armor county council took it over and began putting on events here. The grand hall on the ground floor was where functions were traditionally held; exhibitions today focus on themes to do with Côtes d’Armor, for instance the county’s hidden treasures, or its maritime riches. The grounds have been beautifully replanted, and awarded the status of Jardin Remarquable. A wonderful new terrace looks down on the dramatic, densely wooded banks of the Trieux from on high.

References:

Brittany Tourism

User Reviews

Daniël Tulp (11 months ago)
A nice castle with incredible gardens and very nice restaurant/tea-room. The visit inside the castle is nice, but not very interesting if you have seen other castles. But still, when you are here, you can always do it! The gardens on the other hand are very much worth your time visiting. Very divers and with a very nice walk showcasing it's splendor.

Jake Williams (13 months ago)
Great atmosphere, great statues with incredible views.

Justin Libby (2 years ago)
Pros: Chateau / castle with an interesting history. Beautiful views of the nearby river and countryside. Top floor has magnificent wooden beams. Kitchen fireplaces are 15 feet wide. Stone spiral staircases are fun. Cons: Price to enter is a bit steep. One of the restrooms was out of order when we visited. The art exhibits inside didn't really fit the space and were distracting from the castle history.

Charles Lales (2 years ago)
Nice historical place in this area. Were lucky to get modern art exhibition on plants hosted by the castle. Nice way to discover the garden, and you may find sweet stuff to eat / drink in cafeteria entrance.

Alan Clark (2 years ago)
Beautiful chateau in stunning grounds overlooking the estuary. We visited over the weekend of the flower festival and found entrance and parking to be free. Food was tasty and cheap. Recommended

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Varvara_R

Historic Site of the week

Trinity Sergius Lavra

The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a world famous spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church and a popular site of pilgrimage and tourism. It is the most important working Russian monastery and a residence of the Patriarch. This religious and military complex represents an epitome of the growth of Russian architecture and contains some of that architecture’s finest expressions. It exerted a profound influence on architecture in Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe.

The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, was founded in 1337 by the monk Sergius of Radonezh. Sergius achieved great prestige as the spiritual adviser of Dmitri Donskoi, Great Prince of Moscow, who received his blessing to the battle of Kulikov of 1380. The monastery started as a little wooden church on Makovets Hill, and then developed and grew stronger through the ages.

Over the centuries a unique ensemble of more than 50 buildings and constructions of different dates were established. The whole complex was erected according to the architectural concept of the main church, the Trinity Cathedral (1422), where the relics of St. Sergius may be seen.

In 1476 Pskovian masters built a brick belfry east of the cathedral dedicated to the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. The church combines unique features of early Muscovite and Pskovian architecture. A remarkable feature of this church is a bell tower under its dome without internal interconnection between the belfry and the cathedral itself.

The Cathedral of the Assumption, echoing the Cathedral of the Assumption in the Moscow Kremlin, was erected between 1559 and 1585. The frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral were painted in 1684. At the north-western corner of the Cathedral, on the site of the western porch, in 1780 a vault containing burials of Tsar Boris Godunov and his family was built.

In the 16th century the monastery was surrounded by 6 meters high and 3,5 meters thick defensive walls, which proved their worth during the 16-month siege by Polish-Lithuanian invaders during the Time of Trouble. They were later strengthened and expanded.

After the Upheaval of the 17th century a large-scale building programme was launched. At this time new buildings were erected in the north-western part of the monastery, including infirmaries topped with a tented church dedicated to Saints Zosima and Sawatiy of Solovki (1635-1637). Few such churches are still preserved, so this tented church with a unique tiled roof is an important contribution to the Lavra.

In the late 17th century a number of new buildings in Naryshkin (Moscow) Baroque style were added to the monastery.

Following a devastating fire in 1746, when most of the wooden buildings and structures were destroyed, a major reconstruction campaign was launched, during which the appearance of many of the buildings was changed to a more monumental style. At this time one of the tallest Russian belfries (88 meters high) was built.

In the late 18th century, when many church lands were secularized, the chaotic planning of the settlements and suburbs around the monastery was replaced by a regular layout of the streets and quarters. The town of Sergiev Posad was surrounded by traditional ramparts and walls. In the vicinity of the monastery a number of buildings belonging to it were erected: a stable yard, hotels, a hospice, a poorhouse, as well as guest and merchant houses. Major highways leading to the monastery were straightened and marked by establishing entry squares, the overall urban development being oriented towards the centrepiece - the Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra.

In 1993, the Trinity Lavra was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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