The historical and architectural context

The architectural and historical context

Guédelon's building plans

The methodology

The materials

1997 - 2010: Building timetable

Diaporamas

The historical context

The historical context:

The "Middle Ages", represent over a thousand years of human history, therefore, in order to avoid confusing the different architectural styles of the age, the Guédelon venture adopted a specific chronological and historical timeframe.  The start date for the castle was taken as 1229.

Louis IX, the future Saint Louis, was crowned King in Rhiems, three years ago in 1226. However, he was a mere twelve years of age and therefore his mother, Blanche of Castile, acts as Regent until 1235. 

Locally, Puisaye is under the control of Baron Jean de Toucy.  To the south-east lies the county of Auxerre-Nevers, controlled by Mahaut de Courtenay, and in the north the Capetian lands of Gâtinais.  On the eve of the sixth crusade, Puisaye is enjoying a period of relative peace and stability.

The architectural context

© Guédelon

The architectural context:

The future castle of Guédelon is an entirely new construction; there are no vestiges of a former castle in or around the site.  The castle's design is based on the architectural canons laid down by Philip Augustus in the 12^th and 13^th centuries.

Philip II Augustus, King of France from 1180-1223, is attributed with standardising the military architecture of castles in the French kingdom. Examples of this standard plan include the Louvre in Paris, Yévre-le-Châtel castle in Loiret, or more locally, the castles of Ratilly or Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines in Yonne. 

Castles built to this standard plan have the following characteristics: a polygonal ground plan; high stone curtain walls, often built on battered plinths; a dry ditch; round flanking towers pierced with arrow loops, the position of which is staggered on each floor of the tower; one corner tower, the great tower or tour maîtresse, higher and larger than the rest, acts as the donjon; a chatelet, twin drum towers

                                                                              protect the gate.

During his reign Philip Augustus established, by way of treaties, alliances and politically advantageous marriages, a long-term Capetian policy of expansion, this fact justifies the choice of a Francilien, as opposed to a Burgundian, architectural model in this particular part of France.

The social context:

A scenario was created to explain the building of a castle in the Guédelon forest at the beginning of the 13^th century. The man we imagine to have ordered the castle's construction, Guilbert, would have been a low-ranking nobleman, vassal to the Lord of Ratilly, himself vassal to the Lord of Perreuse, whom in turn is vassal to the Baron of Toucy. Having obtained leave to build his castle, but owing to his modest standing in the feudal hierarchy and his limited finances, Guilbert favours raising a small castle, a fortified residence, far removed from the scale of royal castles like the Louvre or Brie-Comte-Robert in Seine-et-Marne.