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Founded: Middle AgesCategory: Historic city squares, old towns and villages in France
Historical period: Valois Dynasty and Hundred Year's War (France)
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One of the oldest medieval towns on the French Riviera, Haut-de-Cagnes is well known for its modern and contemporary art museums and galleries such as Fondation Maeght which is located nearby.
The village is located just 15 minutes’ drive from the coastline on top of a large mound known as the Plateau du Puy, on top of which a Roman oppidum was built, followed by a medieval castle, which was then known as the castrum, dominated in the Middle Ages by the Counts of Provence. The village got its big break in 1388 due to its proximity to the Var river when the County of Nice was seceded to the Kingdom of Savoy and Saint Paul was upgraded to bordertown garrison level – in the 16th century, repeated attacks from Charles V of Spain and his Habsburg dynasty that dominated most of Europe at the time lead French King Francis I to build the mighty city walls and fortifications that still stand today.
In the following centuries, the village developed its Baroque religious architecture and in the 19th century, the artists started to arrive, attracted by the light and the beautiful architecture of the village. One of the local hotel entrepreneurs, Paul Roux, owner of the future Colombe d’Or Hotel (the best place in town, at the entrance to the village), decided to lodge some artists for free in exchange for some of their paintings, which still adorn the hotel.
References:The Broch of Clickimin is a large and well preserved, though somewhat restored broch near Lerwick. Originally built on an island in Clickimin Loch (now increased in size by silting and drainage), it was approached by a stone causeway. The water-level in the loch was reduced in 1874, leaving the broch high and dry. The broch is situated within a walled enclosure and, unusually for brochs, features a large 'blockhouse' between the opening in the enclosure and the broch itself. Another unusual feature is a stone slab featuring sculptured footprints, located in the causeway which approached the site. Situated across the loch is the Clickimin Leisure Centre.