The Château de Vincennes: Home to Europe's Tallest Keep

The Château de Vincennes (French pronunciation: [ʃɑto d(ə) vɛ̃sɛn]) is a former fortress and royal residence next to the town of Vincennes, on the eastern edge of Paris, alongside the Bois de Vincennes. Largely built between 1361 and 1369, this structure has been a preferred residence for French kings from the 14th to 16th century. Its location provided advantages for hunting in the surrounding forest, proximity to former Roman roads to Sens and Lagny, and access by water on the Marne and Seine rivers.

The château is particularly known for its "donjon" or keep, a fortified central tower that is the tallest in Europe, built in the 14th century. It also features the Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes, begun in 1379 but not completed until 1552, which is an exceptional example of Flamboyant Gothic architecture. Because of its fortifications, the château was often used as a royal sanctuary in times of trouble and as a prison and military headquarters.

In the 13th century, Louis IX, or Saint Louis, used the site much more often than his predecessors. When he purchased the reputed Crown of Thorns from the Emperor Baldwin of Constantinople, he received the celebrated relic at Sens Cathedral, escorted it to Vincennes, and then accompanied it to its eventual home in the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. A few thorns from the crown of thorns and a small fragment of the reputed True Cross were deposited at Vincennes for placement in a future chapel. Louis IX said farewell to his family at Vincennes before his departure to the Crusades.

In the 15th century, the château became a refuge for the kings of France. It was the regular residence of Charles VI until his madness, then was disputed by Philip the Good of Burgundy and Louis I, Duke of Orléans. In 1415, the army of Henry V of England defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt. The subsequent Treaty of Troyes in 1420 granted the château and the Île-de-France to the English, after which Henry repaired the château and installed his troops in it. He died there on 31 August 1422. An alliance between the Burgundians and Charles VII of France finally allowed the King to force the English out and reoccupy the château. He and his successors rarely lived there, preferring the Loire Valley, though Louis XI constructed a new royal residence within the walls.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons