Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Tours, located on the banks of the Loire River in the historical district of Tours (Indre-et-Loire), finds its origins in a comtal stone residence erected between 1044 and 1060 by Geoffroy Martel, Count of Anjou, on the remains of a Gallo-Roman castrum of the fourth century. This first building, more residential than defensive, reused an ancient thick wall of 4.50 m and integrated a large room of 28 m long as well as a square tower almost blind, probably intended to house the Counts. The 1970s excavations revealed traces of previous occupation, including public baths and aristocratic habitat between the 5th and 11th centuries.

Turned into a quadrangular royal fortress in the 13th century under Saint Louis or Philip III the Hardi, the castle is enlarged and equipped with four round towers, including the tower of Guise, future master tower. In the 15th century, Mary of Anjou, wife of Charles VII, ordered major developments, such as the construction of the Logis des Gouverneurs, an independent three-storey building backed by Gallo-Roman ramparts. The castle, although an occasional royal residence, also serves as a prison and arsenal, before being gradually abandoned to other Renaissance residences.

Almost entirely dismantled in the 18th century to give way to a military barracks, the site preserves only two medieval towers (Guise and du Cachot Secret), connected by a barracks building built around 1781, the pavilion of Mars. After sheltering military units until the 1960s, the castle was restored from 1972 thanks to major archaeological excavations led by Henri Galinié. These works reveal the foundations of the Comtal castle, ancient remains, and allow to date precisely its construction in the 11th century, overturning the previous attribution to Henry II Plantagenet.

Today, the Castle of Tours, partially classified as historical monuments since 1913, hosts museums (contemporary art, urban history), libraries specialized in archaeology, and exhibitions. Although its archaeological remains are now covered for their protection, the site remains a key testimony of the Tourangelle history, from antiquity to modern times, and has participated in the City of Art and History of Tours since 1988.

Among the notable episodes, the castle was the scene of the spectacular escape of the young Duke of Guise in 1591, after three years of captivity in the tower. It will also house famous prisoners such as Jacques Cœur or Cardinal La Balue, and will host historical figures such as Joan of Arc in 1429 or Marguerite of Scotland, wife of Louis XI, whose marriage was celebrated in the chapel of the castle in 1436.

Today's architecture thus combines medieval elements (thirteenth century towers with carved lamp-ends), Renaissance (Logis des Gouverneurs), and classics (Marsian hill). The excavations also revealed an exceptional archaeological furniture, including coins from Counts of Anjou, ceramics, and 11th century objects, offering a unique insight into the daily life and urban transformations of Tours over two millennia.

Future

What remains of the Castle of Tours, including the Logis des Gouverneurs, are truly valued as the historical and cultural heritage of the city only since the early 1980s, after archaeological excavations and the clearing of the site.

It now houses cultural and heritage activities.

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