Château d'Angers and Tapisserie de l'Apocalypse

Château d'Angers occupies a commanding position above the Maine River on the western edge of the city of Angers in Maine-et-Loire, Pays de la Loire. The fortress was built primarily between 1230 and 1240 under Louis IX, and its seventeen distinctive towers of dark schist alternating with white limestone bands are among the most recognisable military architecture in France. The castle encloses a formal garden, a chapel, and several medieval buildings, but the principal attraction is the Tapisserie de l'Apocalypse — the largest surviving medieval tapestry in the world, measuring over 100 metres in length and nearly 6 metres in height. Commissioned in the 1370s by Louis I of Anjou and woven in Paris from cartoons attributed to Hennequin of Bruges, the tapestry illustrates scenes from the Book of Revelation in vivid crimson, blue, and gold threads. It is displayed in a purpose-built climate-controlled gallery at the base of the castle, lit at low levels to preserve the medieval fibres. Moving through the gallery takes 30 to 45 minutes at a measured pace; panels are numbered and accompanied by explanatory texts in French and English. Beyond the tapestry, the castle grounds include a formal herbal garden, the fifteenth-century Chapelle Saint-Laud, and the logis royal with roof-level views over the Maine River valley. The castle is managed by the Centre des Monuments Nationaux, and guided tours are available. Entry includes access to all areas. Visiting in clear morning light, when the schist towers are reflected in the moat, makes for the most striking exterior photography.