Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Romorantin originated in the 15th century, when the Counts of Angoulême built fortifications there. In 1516, Louise de Savoie, the mother of François I, entrusted Leonardo da Vinci with the design of an ambitious royal palace, designed to make Romorantin an ideal city or even a new capital of France. This project includes a canal linking the Loire to the Sauldre and an innovative castle, foreshadowing the Chambord castle. Between 1516 and 1518, earthworks and diversion of the Sauldre were carried out, and a 70-metre wing was built. However, the project remains unfinished, probably due to the death of Leonardo da Vinci in 1519 and the plague.

The current remains include two towers, embankments, as well as architectural elements, such as gilded plaques and spikes found in local houses. Invoices and descriptions discovered since 2015 confirm that the castle was partially built, with a master's degree similar to that of Chambord. The wing built by Louise de Savoie was destroyed in 1723, but Leonard's plans, preserved in the Codex Atlanticus, and archaeological traces attest to his ambition. The site is today a unique testimony of the collaboration between the Italian Renaissance and the Court of France.

Prior to this Renaissance project, Romorantin was already a strategic place: a medieval castle was mentioned in the 12th century. In 1356 he suffered an English siege during the Hundred Years War. The besiegants, led by the Prince of Wales, captured the city and attacked the castle, where defenders, including Amaury de Craon and Boucicaut, resisted for several days before surrendering. The English then use the Greek fire and cannons to overcome the besieged, marking a violent episode of local military history.

In the 20th century, the site took on an industrial and military dimension. During the First World War, a huge American depot (G.I.S.D.) settled nearby, employing up to 30,000 people for aircraft assembly, logistics and medical care. After 1918, the depot was dismantled, but Air Base 273, still active today, perpetuates this military vocation. These modern transformations contrast with the medieval and reborn heritage, making Romorantin a place where several key periods of French history intersect.

External links