The Château de Pierrefonds in the Oise department of Picardy, France

© Hemis/Alam

The old castle at sunrise. Chateau de Pierrefonds, France

The Château de Pierrefonds is a medieval castle situated in the region of Picardy, France. One glimpse of the castle has the power to leave you enchanted and dumbstruck. This castle was built in the 14th century and went through major restoration work in the 19th century. In the middle age the Château was also known as a romantic ruin. It had turned into a beautiful mess until one day Napoleon laid his eyes on this architectural marvel. He decided to purchase it for 3,000 francs. Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte visited this castle in 1850. He asked Viollet-le-Duc a renowned architect to monitor the restoration work. After the demise of Viollet, the work was carried on for six years. The restoration was put to a halt after the death of Louis-Napoléon.

If you ever get a chance to visit this castle, remember to appreciate the beauty of the unfished rooms and see the polychrome paintings by Viollet. By the end of your tour, you will end up realizing that it was more of an invention than a restoration. This castle is the perfect specimen of the military-style architecture of the 14th century.