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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Richelieu, now largely extinct, was built in the 17th century at the initiative of Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal Duke of Richelieu. Located in the current Indre-et-Loire department, it embodied the political ambition of its sponsor, combining a new city with a ducal residence. The cardinal entrusted the project to architect Jacques Lemercier, who adopted a coherent style for the castle and the city, inspired by "ideal city" models such as Brouage or Charleville. The construction, completed before 1642, included sumptuous decorations celebrating the monarchy, including a gallery dedicated to the life of Ulysses.

On the death of the cardinal, the castle passed to his petit-neveeu, Armand-Jean de Vignerot, and was then transformed in the 18th century by the Marshal of Richelieu, with arrangements entrusted to Jacques de La Guépière and Jean-Michel Chevotet. The French Revolution marked a tragic turning point: seized as well as demigrated in 1792, the castle was emptied of its furniture and works of art, some scattered in museums such as the Louvre or that of Orléans. In 1805 it was sold to a merchant of goods, Boutron, who began its systematic demolition until 1835, reducing the building in stone quarry.

In the 19th century, banker Michel Heine, the father-in-law of the last Duke of Richelieu, bought the estate in 1877 and partially restored the park and the communes. Today, only the stables' pavilion remains, classified as a historic monument in 1930 with the entrance hemicycle and moats. The town of Richelieu, conceived as a coherent urban complex, remains intact, offering a unique testimony of 17th century urban planning. Virtual reconstructions and exhibitions, such as the one in 2011, now allow us to imagine the past splendor of this castle.

The castle was home to an exceptional collection, including paintings by Mantegna, Poussin or Perugin, as well as ancient sculptures such as Michelangelo's Rebellious Slave, today at the Louvre. The interior decorations, such as the Gallery of the Battles or the Queen's cabinet decorated with the Four Elements by Claude Deruet, illustrated the cardinal's fascist and political symbolism. Artistic remains, such as statues or chimney plates, are preserved in various museums, while writings by La Fontaine (1663) describe the wonder aroused by its riches.

The architecture of the castle, organised around a hierarchy of floors (four levels for the house body, three for the stables), was inspired by Versailles with corner pavilions and a court of honor accessible by a bridge. The anticour, decorated with carved balustrades, led to a symbolic entrance pavilion, where a statue of Louis XIII was framed by Hercules and Mars. The gardens, with vaulted caves and orangery, completed this set, now partially reconstituted thanks to models and 3D models.

Ranked a historic monument in 1930, the estate is now managed by the Chancellery of the Universities of Paris, heir to a legacy of the last Duke of Richelieu. Contemporary projects, such as a virtual reconstruction proposed in 2017, aim to revive this heritage, while the city, preserved in its original route, attracts visitors for its exemplary urban planning and its inextricable link with the history of the cardinal-minister.

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