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Chateau de Castelnaud
Chateau de Castelnaud sits high above the Dordogne River in the Dordogne region of Perigord Noir. Castelnaud- or Castelnau, meaning the“ new castle”- was founded in the 12th century as a defensive fortress and faces its once arch enemy Chateau Beynac across the Dordogne river.
Castelnaud was a major defensive fortress through the 100 Year War and came under English rule during this period. Chateau Beynac across the river was a major foe of Castelnaud.
Abandoned in the 17 th cenury the chateau fell into disrepair and in the 19 th century it was used as a stone quarry.
In 1966, it was listed officially as an Historic Site and has since been brought back to life through a series of outstanding restoration projects. Its“ Museum of Medieval Warfare” was founded in 1985.
Things to See
The Museum of Medieval Weapons contains a collection of 200 items of arms and armour( weapons for cutting and thrusting, missile weapons, artillery pieces), as well as furniture of the period.
War Machines
At Castelnaud you will find a reconstruction of medieval war machines, in full size.
Tower-positioned giant crossbow: This giant crossbow was used by the defenders of a stronghold from a fixed position.
The Pedrero and the Bricole: Both were forms of catapult: men pulled on ropes to bend back the arm and then fire stones.
The Trebuchet: Also using the counterweight principle, this machine was in use up to the 16th century. Despite its low rate of fire- only one or two per hour- it was the most powerful machine used in the Middle Ages.
The Bombard: The first forms of artillery using gunpowder appeared in the 14th century. Handling them was a delicate matter. Before reloading, the gunners had to wait for them to cool down. Result: their best rate of fire was only once an hour.
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