The Castle and buildings is in the Chateau de Vincennes, a sprawling 14th to 17th century walled fortress, where French Royalty lived and played since the 12th century, before moving to Versailles by 1671.
From the 1700's on, it served as an arms factory, a prison and place of executions for Mati-Hari and others, a public park, and the French army's unsuccessful defence in World War 2.
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Touch a number to see a picture
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The Chateau plan 1) The Capetian Manor, hunting lodge from the 1200's, the first building on this site - it's now gone and currently a grassy park 2) Gate to the Pavilions
3) The Donjon, the castle Gate 4) Sainte-Chapelle, the King's chapel
5) and 6) The Pavilions, designed by Le Vau in 1654, one each for King Louis XIV and the Queen, made just before
they moved their summer place to Versailles
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The south and east walls surrounding the Chateau de Vincennes, with the former moat now covered in grass
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The eastern entrance over the moat to Chateau de Vincennes
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The Chateau de Vincennes Donjon (Castle), the highest fortified medieval building in Europe, "finished" in 1373
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Inside the Chateau de Vincennes
Sainte-Chapelle
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An army of painted birds in the chapel, who come to life at night and peck the eyes out of the ghost of Queen Lenore, who haunts the castle to this very day. Thus quoth the raven, nevermore. OK, that all may be false.
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The courtyard wall inside the Vincennes Castle compound
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View of the west wall through coloured glass from inside the castle
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View of the front wall through coloured glass from inside the castle
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A higher view of the west wall through coloured glass from inside the castle
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A view from the castle of the interior of Chateau de Vincennes
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