Guédelon is a must-see for anyone traveling to France for the castles or medieval history. Each year, more than 300,000 individuals come to the city, and a sizeable portion of them have been there previously, sometimes more than once. Even specialized tours that focus on castle construction from the middle of the 13th century, such as those that visit the Louvre in Paris, include the castle, which is a castle fort.
In 1997, a group of friends began constructing a castle from the ground up using only tools and techniques from that era. It is known as Guedelon castle, and construction is still proceeding.
What is the Guedelon Castle’s Backstory?
The history of Guédelon Castle is a fictional story, if you will. It is essential to create the narrative and set specific elements since they determine how the castle will appear after it is finished. Every aspect of a castle’s appearance, including its design, size, and characteristics, would have been determined by any prospective builder’s social and financial standing in the Middle Ages.
Guédelon has certain architectural traits with the Louvre Castle, the foundations of which can be seen in the basement of the Louvre but would not have been near as big. His castle fort is typical of the 13th century and follows principles of design and arrangement preferred by Philip II. For instance, the stone used to build Guédelon Castle’s foundation would not have been as exquisitely dressed as the stone used to construct the Louvre Castle.
If Guilbert’s castle had been constructed in the 13th century, a drawbridge at the entrance would not have been possible due to his status and financial resources.
The features used at Guédelon are shared by castles of this sort constructed in the 13th century. The castle is polygonally shaped and features high stone curtain walls flanked by a dry ditch. A twin-drum tower guards the entrance gate, and one of the flanking towers is always higher and larger than the others. Visitors can view these features while there or, at the very least, watch them being built. (Source: Archaeology Travel)
Medieval Techniques of Building
Guédelon Castle’s construction location was a quarry that had been abandoned in the 1950s. The site is suitable because it has access to a variety of natural resources, not simply stone, that was needed to construct the castle. These include wood for construction and burning, clay for ceramics and roof tiles, ochre for coloring, and sand for mortar and other purposes. Guilbert, our local lord, would not have had to bear the heavy expenses of bringing these things to his country.
Everything needed to construct the castle is made on-site using traditional techniques. Experiments are run to develop a solution that works and fit the era where that information is lacking or limited. The potters constructed five different kilns before finding one that functioned to fire the unbaked clay roof tiles and containers. This task has increased our understanding of clay firing in 13th-century France. (Source: Archaeology Travel)
Image from Viator