Europe · France · Centre-Val de Loire
Château de Chenonceau
The story
History of Château de Chenonceau
An arched gallery that strides across the River Cher, designed and defended by a succession of remarkable women who shaped its fate.
France · Centre-Val de Loire · Renaissance
- Built
- from 1513
- Era
- Renaissance
- Style
- Renaissance
- Country
- France
- Region
- Centre-Val de Loire
- UNESCO
- —
- Coordinates
- 47.325, 1.070
In depth
The fuller history
José-Emilio Terry, a Cuban millionaire, acquired Chenonceau from Madame Pelouze in 1891. Terry sold it in 1896 to a family member, Francisco Terry. In 1913, the château was acquired by Henri Menier, a member of the Menier family, famous for their chocolates, and the family still owns it to this day. During World War I, Gaston Menier set up the gallery to be used as a hospital ward. During the Second World War, the château was bombed by the Germans in June 1940. It was also a means of escaping from the Nazi-occupied zone on one side of the River Cher to the "free" zone on the opposite bank.
In 1951, the Menier family entrusted the château's restoration to Bernard Voisin, who brought the dilapidated structure and the gardens (ravaged in the Cher flood in 1940) back to a reflection of its former glory.
Key dates
- 1513Thomas Bohier, Chamberlain to King Charles VIII of France, purchased the castle from Pierre Marques in 1513 and demolished most of it (resulting in 2013 being considered the 500th anniversary of the castle: MDXIII–MMXIII), though…
- 1559After King Henry II died in 1559, his strong-willed widow and regent Catherine de' Medici forced Diane to exchange it for the Château Chaumont.
- 1733In 1733 the estate was sold for 130,000 livres to a wealthy squire named Claude Dupin.
- 1875Around 1875 she commissioned the architect Félix Roguet to restore it.
- 1913In 1913, the château was acquired by Henri Menier, a member of the Menier family, famous for their chocolates, and the family still owns it to this day.
- 1951In 1951, the Menier family entrusted the château's restoration to Bernard Voisin, who brought the dilapidated structure and the gardens (ravaged in the Cher flood in 1940) back to a reflection of its former glory.
Historical summary drawn from Wikipedia. Read the full article.
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