The medieval castle ruin overlooking a bend in the River Seine

Château Gaillard, perched on a high limestone promontory overlooking a bend in the River Seine, is a medieval castle ruin in Les Andelys, Normandy. Construction began in 1196 under the auspices of Richard the Lionheart, who was simultaneously King of England and feudal Duke of Normandy. The majority of the work on Château Gaillard was done in an unusually short period of time, taking just two years.

Château Gaillard has a complex and advanced design, and uses early principles of concentric fortification; it was also one of the earliest European castles to use machicolations. The castle consists of three enclosures separated by dry moats, with a keep in the inner enclosure. The town of Petit Andely was constructed at the same time as the castle.

In 1599, Henry IV of France ordered the demolition of Château Gaillard because it was felt to be a threat to the security of the local population, even though it was already in ruins at the time. The castle ruins are listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. The inner bailey is open to the public from March to November, and the outer baileys are open all year.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons