Rouen+Castle

Declan Vick Rouen Castle Rouen Castle was a large fort built sometime in the early 13th century in, if the name didn’t give it away, Rouen, France. It was commissioned by King Philip II of France after Rouen was taken back from the English. It is known for the lasting tower and a tribute to the culture of medieval France. There is only one lasting tower left of the castle. It is known as the Joan of Arc Tower, or in French, Tour Jeanne-d’Arc. In 1358 the castle was besieged by the citizens because they were afraid the castle would be a starting off point for an enemy to attack the city. This was not the case however, and the man living in the castle, Dauphin Charles, retook it. He later became King Charles V and made lavish improvements to the castle. The Rouen Castle saw more conflict in 1419, when the English took the city of Rouen again. The castle was then occupied by the English and the castle was upgraded to meet the technological advancements of the day. The only standing tower is rounded, which was not common for the area, and is about 35 meters high, which in American terms is about 115 feet. The tower got its name not because Joan of Arc was put there, but because she was questioned there. She actually stayed at a now non-existent tower, and one would think that the tower she stayed at would be named after her, but no. Her stay was a morbid one, for several months into her stay she was burned at the stake. Two years after Joan of Arc’s departure from Rouen Castle, and the world of the living, an attempt was made by the French to take back the castle. The castle was damaged badly and subsequently repaired by the English. Finally in 1449 two Charles later (that’s number VII for those keeping count) regained the control. Fifty years later the castle was transformed into a judicial center and lost its royal residency. In the 16th century it fell into disrepair and was unfortunately destroyed. The Joan of Arc Tower is the only thing still standing. It was occupied and made bomb-proof by the Germans during World War Two, and is now a museum. The Joan of Arc Tower is an everlasting memorial to the castle’s long and varied history as it changed hands through the 800 years it’s been around. It is a great window into the medieval culture of France, and seeing it at least once is something any visitor to Rouen should consider.