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Origin and history

The fanum des Châteliers is a Celto-Roman-inspired temple built in the first century on the Châteliers' oppidum in Amboise (Indre-et-Loire). It consists of a square cella surrounded by a gallery, in the center of a peribol 45 meters side. This "centered-planed" temple is based on older structures, perhaps dating from the last third of the 1st century BC, as evidenced by a coin and a fragment of pottery found in a floor linked to the monument, dated between 9 and 16 AD. Its remains, inscribed in 1987, reveal coloured painted coatings, a mosaic, and partially recovered columns after its abandonment.

The Poppidum des Châteliers, a spur dominating the confluence of the Loire and the Amass, was a strategic site occupied since Neolithic. At La Tene finale, it becomes an oppidum of 50 hectares, probably the capital of Turones (Gaulian people), with intense artisanal, cultural and political activity. The Butt of Caesar, tumulus of the Bronze Age, occupies its center. The fanum, positioned north-west of this hill, is part of a 3 hectares sacred space including two other minor temples and a public building, suggesting an area dedicated to religious and community practices.

The first written mention of the site dates from the fourth century, in the Life of Saint Martin of Sulpicus-Severe, evoking the destruction of a pagan temple by the Bishop of Tours. Rediscovered in 1980 during urgent work, the fanum suffered degradation (illegal networks between 1981 and 1986) before its registration. Excavations (1995, 2005-2008) revealed its monumental architecture, its luxurious decorations, and its systematic dismantling in the second century, its materials being recovered. The site is now a protected archaeological reserve.

The northern wall of the peribol, reinforced by landfill arches, testifies to advanced engineering to counter the land thrust. Intact vases were deposited, probably during rites. An adjacent building, located at the southeast corner of the cella, and a rectangular structure (perhaps a ritual basin) complete the whole. The most recent archaeological levels date from the 2nd century, but the exact period of its abandonment remains undetermined. Luxury objects (columns, painted coatings) were systematically recovered, limiting the remains.

The Châteliers site illustrates the transition between Gaulish culture and Romanization, with continued occupation since the Bronze Age. L-oppidum, barred from a rampart at La Tene finale, was a major political and religious centre. The concentration of temples and public buildings on 3 hectares suggests a sacralized spatial organization, while artifacts ( ritual deposits) confirm its cultural role. Recent excavations (2015-2016) revealed two other fana, reinforcing the hypothesis of a structured religious district.

The partial destruction of the site in the 1970s (construction of a holiday village without prior study) irreversibly altered its archaeological potential. Despite this, the campaigns of André Peyrard (1980-1987) and Jean-Marie Laruaz (2005-2008) have documented its evolution, from its Augustan foundation to its decline in the second century. Today, the fanum and its environment are protected as an archaeological reserve, offering a rare testimony of Celto-Roman religious practices in Touraine.

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