Richelieu's ideal (and megalo) dream
And also
The tops
On September 9th 1585, Suzanne de La Porte gave birth to a boy in castle of Richelieu: Armand-Jean du Plessis de Richelieu was born!... the future cardinal!
In 1625, this one undertook the construction of his ideal city. First, he added a building to the family castle... But in 1631, he wanted something bigger! He asked the royal architect Le Mercier, a man who worked on the Louvre building works in 1624.
The building site began in 1631. In 1633, the main building and the left wing were done. At the end of 1634, they raised the right wing.
The palace was composed of a courtyard framed by stables (for 80 horses), manege, apartments for servants.
Next to this, a tennis court created in 1665. Inside the palace, King and Queen's Apartments; a gallery on the right wing's first floor (60 metres long!), full of masterpieces: paintings of Perugino, Poussin, Mantegna... Richelieu castle also had a beautiful park. In short, it was a real royal house!
After cardinal's death, the castle fell to his brother's descendants, who abandoned it.
The castle was owned in the beginning of the 19th century by a merchant who demolished it in order to sell the stones.
Nowadays, two huge grottos and the left detached house still standing!