We've walked up the staircase and entered the room through the doorway you see almost dead centre in the photograph. You might think we are in the castle courtyard but not so. This was a room where receptions and ceremonies took place. Here the Castellan received the Lord and is where the vassals came here to pay homage and inhabitants of the village swore an oath of allegiance.
This room used to have a stone vaulted ceiled but was destroyed in fire and replaced by a coffered ceiling. Fires were frequent and there were three: in 1506 (under Genovese rule), in 1597 (under Provençal rule) and in 1747 during the Austro-Sardinian war. In the end, the room remained open to the elements.
Come back the day after tomorrow when we'll explore more of the Great Room. Tomorrow is Theme Day, of course.
Note 1. I've added copy to the last two days' entries - discussing the drawbridge and the retractable staircase. I visited the castle again this morning, this time writing down a lot more information and this time legibly enough for me to read it when I got home!
Note 2. Roquebrune village in New York? Does it exist? Go to New York City Daily Photo to find out!
This room used to have a stone vaulted ceiled but was destroyed in fire and replaced by a coffered ceiling. Fires were frequent and there were three: in 1506 (under Genovese rule), in 1597 (under Provençal rule) and in 1747 during the Austro-Sardinian war. In the end, the room remained open to the elements.
Come back the day after tomorrow when we'll explore more of the Great Room. Tomorrow is Theme Day, of course.
Note 1. I've added copy to the last two days' entries - discussing the drawbridge and the retractable staircase. I visited the castle again this morning, this time writing down a lot more information and this time legibly enough for me to read it when I got home!
Note 2. Roquebrune village in New York? Does it exist? Go to New York City Daily Photo to find out!
wonderful picture, I like the small openings in the outer wall. was that to shoot through, or see through?
ReplyDeletegreat angle. wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAnd Roquebrune in New York has lots of guides to the best restaurants in the neighborhood. :-)
ReplyDeleteWoo! What a view!
ReplyDeleteoooh these castle pix are lovely. It must seem so funny to you when people who live in places like Port Elizabeth rant on about our historic buildings which are just over 1 century old, when yours goes back so far! I find it mindboggling and love the sense of ancient civilsation in Europe.
ReplyDeleteJim, the holes you see would have been for the archers to shoot through. However, there are some holes - which you see in other parts of the Chateau - which were used to support scaffolding beams when the castle was built.
ReplyDelete