Château de Tarascon

About this place

The Château de Tarascon is a medieval castle in Tarascon in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the south of France. The fortress stands on the banks of the Rhône opposite Château de Beaucaire, and near St Martha's Collegiate Church and ensured the security of the western border of Provence. Destroyed and rebuilt in the first half of the 15th century in a combination of Gothic and Renaissance styles, the fortress was a venue for events, meetings, and celebrations for King René before being converted into a military prison at the end of the 18th century. Today, the structure stands as one of the best preserved castles in the world and has been classified as a national historic site since 1840. Compare the overall outline with the spaces intended for residence and ceremony. The contrast helps reveal how architecture expressed the ambitions of its patrons and how inherited forms could be adapted to new expectations of comfort and display.