Château de Plessis-lez-Tours

The Château de Plessis-lez-Tours is a Renaissance château located in the town of La Riche in the Indre-et-Loire department, in the Loire Valley of France.

It was the favorite residence of King Louis XI of France, who died there on 30 August 1483. It was also the scene of the first meeting between King Henry III of France and the future King Henry IV of France.

The present building is only a small part of the château originally built by Louis XI in the 15th century. The original château had three wings in the shape of a U. The room where Louis XI died can be visited. It has wooden panelling in the style called 'napkin folds' popular in the 15th century. The first floor has paintings and sculpture devoted to St. Francis of Paola, whom Louis XI summoned to live near him until his death.^[1]. Inside the château is a display of iron cages which were suspended from the ceiling and used to hold prisoners. The cages were so small that the prisoners were unable to stand.

The château is listed as a Monument historique since 1927 by the French Ministry of Culture^[2].

Sources and Citations

(This is an edited translation of the article in the French-language Wikipedia.)

1. ^ Châteaux de la Loire, Michelin Guide de Tourisme, 1987 Edition
2. ^ (French) Ministry of Culture database entry

See also

• List of castles in France

Coordinates: 47°22′58″N 0°39′38″E / 47.38278°N 0.66056°E / 47.38278; 0.66056