First *castrum* mentioned 491 (≈ 491)
Fortified wooden camp reported by Ursus de Cahors.
742
Destruction by Pépin the Short
Destruction by Pépin the Short 742 (≈ 742)
Shaved castle after revolt of Hunald d'Aquitaine.
1013–1035
Construction of dungeon
Construction of dungeon 1013–1035 (≈ 1024)
Master tower built by Foulques Nerra.
1193–1194
Plantage-Capetian Conflict
Plantage-Capetian Conflict 1193–1194 (≈ 1194)
Donjon taken over by Richard Lion Heart.
1205
Integration into the Royal Domain
Integration into the Royal Domain 1205 (≈ 1205)
Philippe Auguste s'empare de Loches.
1370–1380
Construction of the Royal House
Construction of the Royal House 1370–1380 (≈ 1375)
Louis I d'Anjou hunting relay.
1418–1461
Charles VII residence
Charles VII residence 1418–1461 (≈ 1440)
Meeting with Joan of Arc in 1429.
1450
Death of Agnes Sorel
Death of Agnes Sorel 1450 (≈ 1450)
I'm buried at Saint-Ours College.
1490–1500
Enlargement by Charles VIII
Enlargement by Charles VIII 1490–1500 (≈ 1495)
Queen's wing for Anne of Brittany.
1504–1508
Imprisonment of Ludovic Sforza
Imprisonment of Ludovic Sforza 1504–1508 (≈ 1506)
Cachot decorated with frescoes and maxims.
1806
Start of restorations
Start of restorations 1806 (≈ 1806)
After revolutionary looting.
1955
Open to the public
Open to the public 1955 (≈ 1955)
After leaving the sub-prefecture.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Foulques Nerra - Count of Anjou (987–1040)
Builder of the dungeon (1013–1035).
Louis Ier d’Anjou - Brother of Charles V
Sponsor of the Royal House (1370).
Charles VII - King of France (1422–1461)
Meet Joan of Arc in 1429.
Jeanne d’Arc - Heroin of the Hundred Years War
Convince Charles VII to the house.
Agnès Sorel - Favourite of Charles VII
Residence until 1450.
Anne de Bretagne - Queen of France (1491–1514)
Private oratory in the house.
Ludovic Sforza - Duke of Milan (1452–1508)
Prisoner in decorated dungeon.
Louis XI - King of France (1461–183)
Turn the dungeon into a prison.
François Ier - King of France (1515–1547)
Last monarch to stay there.
Origin and history
The Cité royale de Loches, located in the department of Indre-et-Loire, brings together two major monuments: the donjon, one of the oldest stone in France (early 11th century), and the royal home, the favourite residence of the Valois in the late Middle Ages. Built on a rocky spur overlooking the Indre Valley, the fortress was transformed into a prison by Louis XI in the 15th century. Its origins date back to a Roman castrum mentioned in 491, then to a fortified wooden camp, shaved in 742 by Pépin le Brief. Foulques Nerra, Count of Anjou, erected the master tower between 1013 and 1035, marking the beginning of his strategic role.
In the 12th century, Henry II Plantagenet strengthened the square with 2 km of ramparts and moats, still visible today. The royal home, built from 1370 by Louis I of Anjou, became a place of power under Charles VII (1418–1461), where Jeanne d'Arc met in 1429. Agnès Sorel, king's favourite, lived there until his death in 1450, while Anne of Brittany and Charles VIII stayed there at the end of the 15th century. François I, the last monarch to visit the place, welcomed Charles Quint in 1539.
The dungeon, used as a prison until 1926, houses famous dungeons like Ludovic Sforza (1504–1508), decorated with frescoes and his maxim "He who is not content". The tower Louis XI (or Charles VII), 27 m high, illustrates the adaptation to the cannons with its cells engraved with graffiti. The Collège Saint-Ours, linked to the site, conserves the tomb of Agnes Sorel, transferred in 2005. Piled during the Revolution, the castle was restored in 1806 and opened to the public in 1955.
The royal house, a masterpiece of medieval civil architecture, is distinguished by its Flemish gables and its vast bays. It is home to treasures such as Anne of Brittany's oratory, carved with the arms of the Duchess, or copies of paintings by Jean Fouquet (portrait of Charles VII, Virgin of Melun). A Renaissance tapestry, "Musica", and a copy of the Great Hours of Anne of Brittany are on display. Ranked in 1862, the site combines military, residential and prison history.
The Royal City, managed by the Department of Indre-et-Loire, also includes the Lansyer Museum and the College. The southern ramparts, built by Henry II of England and Richard Heart of Lion, served as a prison for Templars. The caponière (1539) and the Royal Gate (13th-15th centuries) complete this defensive device. Symbol of the Angelvin then royal power, Loches embodies the transitions between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, between fortress and palace.
