Château de Dinan

About this place

The Château de Dinan, also known as Dinan Castle, consists of a keep, in the town of Dinan, in the Côtes-d'Armor département of the Brittany region of France. The first building known as the Château de Dinan was present by 1064, making it one of the earliest known castles as evidenced by the fact that it appeared in the Bayeux Tapestry. The Battle of Dinan was fought at the Château de Dinan in 1065, when Conan II, Duke of Brittany surrendered to the army of Harold Godwinson. Its defences were fortified in 1283 and underwent upgrades until the end of the War of the Breton Succession in 1365. In 1382, John V, Duke of Brittany seized the previous castle from the Dinan family, and Etienne le Tur built the current keep in 1382–3; it was in use by 1384. Look at the entrances, walls and surrounding terrain together. Their relationship helps explain how the site controlled movement and protected its occupants, while later alterations can reveal the shift from military stronghold to residence or monument.