If you click
you will be connected to an album of photos of the cité idéale of RICHELIEU constructed as a computer-assisted-drafting - a CAD - model of the town, emphasising the original layout concept of the king's architect, Jacques Lemercier, and his client, the wise cardinal-duc. This model was initiated as a study of the old entrance gates, in particular the existing northern monumental gate to town and castle called the Porte de Chinon, or originally the Porte de Paris. This structure is now in poor condition and needs restoration. The model emphasises how it could look, returned more to its original state, now including the 'missing' draw-bridge, which was, by contemporary report, shut every evening to protect the good burghers from the perils of the night.
If you click
you will be connected to a Picasa photo album of the existing porte de chinon, taken in mid-winter 2009 in the weak December sunshine. One notices immediately how the original design has been encrusted with 'improvisations', as generations of richelais have built 'lean-to's onto the free walls of the perimeter. Other original bits have been removed or demolished, as they had only a formal rather than a practical purpose.
Some people worry about the copyright of graphic material available on the web and how it may easily be plagiarised or copied. As the entire purpose of this particular blog is to publicise the little town to a wider audience, copy away; fear not; help our effort to lay bare this belle dormante.
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