Château d'Azay-le-Ferron

The castle of Azay -le- Ferron part of the French community Azay -le- Ferron in the Indre in the Centre region. A castle from the 15th century was the origin for the 17th-century castle, which was rebuilt in the 19th and 20th centuries. The complex offers a landscape park, a French-style garden and cut in the form of yew. The owner is the city of Tours.

The castle stands together with the associated castle park since January 25, 1950 as a monument historique a historical monument.

History

The original castle was built by Pregent Frotier in the late fifteenth century on an area that belonged in the 13th century, Nicolas de Turpin Crissé and from 1412 was part of the Barony Preuilly. One of the old towers of 1496 is still available and has been integrated into the system from the 17th century.

1560 the castle came to the family of Louis I de Cravant and remained until the end of the 17th century in their possession. The owners were over the decades including: César de Bourbon, duc de Vendôme, son of King Henry IV and his mistress Gabrielle d' Estrées, who was by royal decree Baron of Preuilly, and Louis IV de Crevant, a marshal in the army of Louis XIV in 1638, the pavilion Francis I with his two wings was built. To emphasize the homely character, some windows were inserted in the walls of the old tower. The new buildings carry as an ornamental salamander king Francis I and the ermine of Claude de France.

1699 the barony of Louis -Nicolas Le Tonnelier de Breteuil was purchased. His daughter, Gabrielle - Emilie, was from 1733 to 1737 the mistress of Voltaire. The Breteuil family may have grown the east wing, wearing their coat of arms. In 1739 the castle was then sold to Louis François de Gallifet, which up to the French Revolution was followed by a whole series of owners. After the castle was owned by two prominent arms manufacturers and arrived finally in 1852 into the possession of Victor and Antoine Luzarche. Their descendants lived in the property until the early 20th century.

The last heir left the estate bequeathed to the city of Tours. Palace and Park are open to visitors. The interior design includes furniture, objets d'art and tapestries from the 15th to the 19th century.

Park and Gardens

The original park was created in the 17th century and had an area of ​​50 hectares. Ten hectares of which comprised the landscape park, the rest was known as the " Parc Agricole " and probably served the fruit and vegetable growing. Some parts of these early gardens are still available.

In 1856, Antoine Luzarche let invest on an area of ​​18 hectares a French landscape garden, with views, avenues and Bosketten. The new park also had an arboretum of exotic trees such as Californian sequoias. 1920 was added in a formal garden "à la française " with Broderieen and topiaries.

In 1995, laid the Université Françoise Rabelais, Tours, in a part of the park an orchard with pear trees and apple trees on. As of 1999, cordon fruit was pulled along the house walls, together with vines of 40 grape varieties. In 2003 came a rose garden with 168 rosebushes added, and in 2008 a way of illustrating the development of the rose from Roman times to the present day ..