The Guédelon Castle is being built like it’s the 13th century, using the same methods used in the Middle Ages

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• http://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/12/02/the-guedelon-castle-is-bei...

Dec 2, 2016

 

 

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The project for rebuilding the medieval Guédelon Castle started in 1997 by Michael Guyot and Maryline Martine in the French region of Burgundy.

The idea of the project is to build a castle using only the techniques and materials used in the Middle Ages with no modern machinery or equipment.

Guédelon Castle in August 2015. Photo Credit

The chief architect on the project is Jacques Moulin who designed the castle according to the 12^th and 13^th centuries architectural model by Philip II of France.

The shape of the Guedelon castle is similar to that of the original shape of the castle Saint-Fargeau.

In 1979, Guyot bought this castle for a mere few thousand Francs.

The shape of Guedelon is similar to that of the original shape of Saint-Fargeau. Photo Credit

During the construction, the project is focusing on several aspects.The first aspect is tourism which means that the construction site can be visited. On the site, there is a medieval restaurant which welcomes visitors from all over the world.

In the menu, there are 13^th-century snacks, such as scrambled eggs, pork chank, and cake with honey.In 2010, the site became the most visited attraction in Yonne wth more than 300, 000 visitors.

The donjon of the medieval castle. Photo Credit

The project is open and adapted to groups and school excursions which mean that the second aspect is education.

Visitors can learn about work conditions in the 13^th century and the different profession of the time.

The third aspect is work and volunteering. The project created 55 jobs and there are about 200 volunteers.

Also, the site employs youths facing difficulties, helping them on-the-job professional training.

The project has created 55 jobs and is now a tourist destination. Photo Credit

 

When ethnographic research is not possible, only archaeological materials and old manuscripts can help. Photo Credit

The site is located next to an abandoned stone quarry, in a large forest with a pond close which means that it was chosen according to the availability of construction materials.

The 13^th-century tools necessary for the project were reproduced -this leads to the creation of siege engines, fortification, swords, etc.

The purpose of the project is not only to learn how to fabricate the object but also to learn how to use it.

The great hall at the medieval castle. Photo Credit

The castle is halfway finished and there is still work to be done.

The castle kitchen and storeroom, the Great Hall’s roof timbers and the antechamber are already completed.

When completed in the 2020s, it should be an authentic recreation of a 13th-century medieval castle. Photo Credit

In 2014, the project was described as the “world’s biggest archaeological experiment” in the series Secrets of the Castle.

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With a completion date estimated sometime in the 2020s, the castle should be an authentic recreation of a 13^th-century medieval castle.