Septmonts
Encyclopedia
Septmonts is a commune
in the Aisne
department in Picardy
in northern France
.
In the heart of the village lies the remains of the Château de Septmonts, of which the principal remains are of the 14th century donjon or keep
. The castle was the country seat of the Bishop of Soissons, probably since the last half of the 12th century and was first built in stone a little before 1242.
Thought to have been inspired by the works of Charles V of France
, the 43 metre tall donjon, exemplifies the princely style of the late 14th century, combining both military and residential function.
The donjon is currently undergoing a programme of restoration. The other sights at the chateau include:
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Aisne
Aisne
Aisne is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River.- History :Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France, Picardie, and Champagne.Most of the old...
department in Picardy
Picardy
This article is about the historical French province. For other uses, see Picardy .Picardy is a historical province of France, in the north of France...
in northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Population
Donjon de Septmonts
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
. The castle was the country seat of the Bishop of Soissons, probably since the last half of the 12th century and was first built in stone a little before 1242.
Thought to have been inspired by the works of Charles V of France
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
, the 43 metre tall donjon, exemplifies the princely style of the late 14th century, combining both military and residential function.
The donjon is currently undergoing a programme of restoration. The other sights at the chateau include:
- Ditches and walls
- Remains of the Salle St. Louis (13th century hall)
- Remains of the RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
bishop's palace - Verger and Arboretum de SeptmontsArboretum de SeptmontsThe Arboretum de Septmonts, also known as the Parc du Donjon de Septmonts, is a park and arboretum located at the Place de la Mairie, Septmonts, Aisne, Picardy, France. It is open daily without charge....