La Ferte Castle
Châ teau de la Fert, 36260 Reuilly, France
Description:
La Ferte Castle is a former Cistercian abbey founded in 1113 under the leadership of Stefan Harding, the abbot of the Cistercians. It is considered the first daughter monastery of the Order of Sito. As a result of the seizure of the monastery by the Huguenot troops of Admiral Coligny, most of the buildings were destroyed, and the monastery lands were sold. In 1760, the abbey was rebuilt as a rich palace. Now it is owned by a private person, and an interesting excursion route is laid along its corridors.
The whole building is divided into two parts, one of which is intended for monks, and the second for the abbot. The rooms are furnished with monastic armchairs, the walls are decorated with carpets, a bust of the last abbot of La Farte, a variety of paintings bearing sacred thoughts. In the living room of the abbot there is a bust of Louis XVI and Maria Antoinette, you can also see bas-reliefs on biblical motifs, wands, crosses, canvases and much more.
La Farte Castle has the largest staircase in Burgundy. And in one part of the building you can see portraits of all the owners of the former monastery. Today, the family of Jacques Tenard lives in the castle, which supports his fortune thanks to tourists and agriculture.