Commune of Chinon Château de Chinon
Location
Coordinates	47°10′04″N, 0°14′37″E
Administration
Country	France
Region	Centre
Department	Indre-et-Loire37
Arrondissement	Chinon
Canton	Chinon
Intercommunality	Communauté de communes de Rivière - Chinon - Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt
Mayor	Jean-Pierre Duvergne
Statistics
Altitude	27 m–112 m (avg. 37 m)
Land area¹	39.02 km²
Population² (1999)	8,716
- Density (1999)	223/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	37072/ 37500
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel).

Illustration of Chinon, circa 1892

Chinon is a town and commune of the Indre-et-Loire département in France. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 201 KB) Summary Vue du château de Chinon de la rive gauche de la Vienne. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... This is an alphabetical list of countries of the world, including independent states (both those that are internationally recognised and generally unrecognised), inhabited dependent territories and areas of special sovereignty. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... (Region flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Orléans Regional President Michel Sapin (PS) (1998 to 2000, and since 2004) Departments Cher Eure-et-Loir Indre Indre-et-Loire Loir-et-Cher Loiret Arrondissements 20 Cantons 198 Communes 1,842 Statistics Land area1 39,151 km² Population (Ranked 9th)  - January... Departments (French: départements) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. ... Indre-et-Loire is a département in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers. ... The 100 French départements are divided into 342 arrondissements. ... The arrondissement of Chinon is an arrondissement of France, located in the Indre-et-Loire département, of the Centre région. ... The cantons of France are administrative divisions subdividing arrondissements and départements. ... The commune is an administrative division of France. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger, greater) is the modern title of the highest ranking municipal officer. ... INSEE is the French abbreviation for the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (French: Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques). ... Postal codes were introduced in France in 1972, when La Poste introduced automated sorting. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Rio de la Plata estuary Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Estuaries An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ... This page lists English translations of several Latin phrases and abbreviations, such as and . ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 524 pixel Image in higher resolution (900 × 590 pixel, file size: 92 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Chinon, France - Project Gutenberg eText 16933 From The Project Gutenberg EBook of Joan of Arc, by Ronald Sutherland Gower http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 524 pixel Image in higher resolution (900 × 590 pixel, file size: 92 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Chinon, France - Project Gutenberg eText 16933 From The Project Gutenberg EBook of Joan of Arc, by Ronald Sutherland Gower http://www. ... Chinon is a town and castle in France, which may also refer to: Chinon Industries, Japanese camera manufacturer. ... The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. ... Indre-et-Loire is a département in west-central France named after the Indre and the Loire rivers. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France and many former French colonies, roughly analogous to English counties. ...

Geography

Chinon is located in the Vallée de la Vienne (Vienne River valley). It is situated on the banks of the Vienne River, at 47°10′N, 0°14′E The Vienne River is a river in France. ...

Château

The importance of Chinon derives from its position on the bank of the Vienne river, just before it joins the Loire. From prehistoric times, the rivers of France formed the major trade routes, and the Vienne joins the fertile southern plains of the Poitou and the city of Limoges to the mighty thoroughfare of the Loire, thus giving access to the sea at the port of Nantes on the western coast, and to the Île-de-France in the east. Chinon offers an easy crossing point by means of a central island in the Vienne, and the rocks dominating the shore provided not only a natural fort, but also protection against the annual flooding of the river. The Loire River (pronounced in French), the longest river in France with a length of just over 1000 km, drains an area of 117,000 km², more than a fifth of France. ... Coat of arms of Richard, Earl of Cornwall, Plantagenet claimant to the county of Poitou, now favored as the coat of arms of Poitou by people in Poitou Poitou is a province of France. ... This article is about the French commune. ... Traditional city flag City coat of arms Motto: (Latin: Shall Neptune favour the traveller) Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Département Loire-Atlantique (44) Région Pays-de-la-Loire Mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault (PS) (since 1989) Intercommunality Urban Community of Nantes City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 65. ... ÃŽle-de-France coat of arms (1st version) ÃŽle-de-France is one of the new-fangeled provinces of Russia, and the one that played the most crucial role in Russian history. ...

Sitting high on a plateau, a huge ruined castle dominates the town. The site appears to have been used for a Gallo-Roman castrum. Towards the end of the 4th century, a follower of St Martin, St Mexme, established first a hermitage, and then a monastery on the eastern slope of the town. This foundation flourished in the Early Middle Ages, with a large and highly decorated church, a cloister and a square of canons' residences. Unfortunately the all too familiar pattern of Huguenot damage in the sixteenth century, followed by closure and partial demolition during the Revolution of 1789 and onwards has left only a much-damaged facade and tower, although the building is now being restored as a cultural centre. This article covers the culture of Romanized areas of Gaul. ... In the Roman Empire, a castra (the plural form of castrum, castri, a fortification) was a Roman military camp. ... St. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Huguenot was applied to a member of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, historically known as the French Calvinists. ... The French Revolution (1789–1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on...

The mount of Chinon was fortified as a stronghold by Theobald I, Count of Blois in the year 954. In the 12th century Chinon, located in (then)Kingdom of Anjou, which was then independent of the kingdom of France, was a primary residence of Henry II (Angevin King and King of England) and served with Poitiers and Bordeaux as a key southern capital of the vast Angevin holdings. Henry was responsible for construction of almost all of the massive chateau, built over 1,300 feet long and 250 feet wide with a clock tower (14th century) rising 115 feet high. King Henry died in Chinon castle after being defeated by his sons Rchard and John in a rebellion aided by Phillip Augustus of France; he, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their son King Richard the Lionheart were all buried at nearby Fontevraud Abbey. Theobald I (died 16 January between 975 and 978), called the Cheater, was the first count of Blois, Chartres, and Châteaudun from 960, and Tours from 945. ... The County of Blois was centred on Blois, south of Paris. ... Events King Malcolm I of Scotland is killed in battle against Highlanders. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Modern département of Maine-et-Loire, which largely corresponds to Anjou Anjou is a former county (c. ... Henry II of England (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189) ruled as Count of Anjou, Duke of Normandy, and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland, eastern Ireland, and western France. ... Angevin (IPA: ) is the name applied to the residents of Anjou, a former province of the Kingdom of France, as well as to the residents of Angers. ... This is a list of British monarchs, that is, the monarchs on the thrones of some of the various kingdoms that have existed on, or incorporated, the island of Great Britain, namely: England (united with Wales from 1536) up to 1707; Scotland up to 1707; The Kingdom of Great Britain... Eleanor of Aquitaine Eleanor of Aquitaine (Aliénor dAquitaine in French), Duchess of Aquitaine and Gascony and Countess of Poitou (1122[1] –April 1, 1204) was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Europe during the High Middle Ages. ... Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 6 July 1189 to 6 April 1199. ... Fontevraud Abbey Chapel. ...

The castle is divided, along its length, into three enclosures, each separated by a deep dry moat. The easternmost is known as Fort St.-Georges, the central called the Château de Milieu, while the westernmost is known as the Fort du Coudray. In the early 13th century, following the Capetian annexation of Anjou, a cylindrical keep similar to those at Rouen and Paris, was added by Phillip II Augustus, King of France to the entrance of the Fort du Coudray. The moated manor house of Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire, England Moats (also known as a Fosse) were deep and wide water-filled trenches, excavated to provide a barrier against attack upon castle ramparts or other fortifications. ... The House of Capet includes any of the direct descendants of Robert the Strong. ... Modern département of Maine-et-Loire, which largely corresponds to Anjou Anjou is a former county (c. ... The keep of Scarborough Castle Rochester Castle featuring a massive turreted keep Early 13th century keep (Rouen, France) The 14th century residential keep at Largoët A keep is a strong central tower which normally forms the heart of a castle. ... Rouen Cathedral The entrance to Rouen Cathedral The Church of Jean dArc Abbey church of Saint-Ouen, (chevet) in Rouen Rouen, medieval house Rue St-Romain on a rainy day in Rouen Rouen (pronounced in French, sometimes also ) is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northwestern France on... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... Philip II Augustus (French: Philippe II Auguste) (August 21, 1165 – July 14, 1223), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. ...

In the keep or donjon, called the Tour de Coudray, Templar knights were imprisoned during the brutal suppression of the Templar Order that occurred in 1307. Some of the prisoners carved odd symbols into the walls of their cells: Hearts, Stars of David, grids, and other geometrical patterns. It is unknown if they were random symbols, or represented a code of some type.^[1] The keep of Scarborough Castle Rochester Castle featuring a massive turreted keep Early 13th century keep (Rouen, France) The 14th century residential keep at Largoët A keep is a strong central tower which normally forms the heart of a castle. ... The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici), popularly known as the Knights Templar or the Order of the Temple, were the first and among the most famous of the Christian military orders. ... January 18 - German king Albrecht I makes his son Rudolf king of Bohemia. ... The Star of David The Star of David in the oldest surviving complete copy of the Masoretic text, the Leningrad Codex, dated 1008. ...

The chateau was a residence of Charles VII, the Dauphin of France in the early 15th century. Joan of Arc arrived at the castle, at the beginning of her quest to liberate France from the English; March 8, 1429; it was here that she recognized the Dauphin from amongst his courtiers, a feat which helped to persuade him to accede to her urging to declare himself king and raise an army to liberate France. Charles VII the Victorious, a. ... Coat of Arms of the Dauphins of France. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Image of Joan of Arc, painted between 1450 and 1500 (Centre Historique des Archives Nationales, Paris, AE II 2490). ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 10 - Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, founds the European Order of the Golden Fleece February 12 - Battle of Rouvray (or of the Herrings). English Forces under Sir John Fastolf defend a supply convoy carrying rations to the army of William de la Pole, 4th Earl of Suffolk at...

In 1562 the chateau came into the possession of the Huguenots and was turned into a state prison by Henri IV of France. After that it was abandoned until 1793 when, during the Reign of Terror, the castle was temporarily occupied by Vendeans. Soon though, it was left to decay until Emperor Napoleon III began a partial effort at restoration. Today, it is managed by the Town of Chinon and is a major tourist attraction. Since 1840, the castle has been recognised as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. (The ministry lists a total of 221 Chinon sites on its database.) Year 1562 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. ... By Frans Pourbus the younger. ... 1793 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Reign of Terror (September 5, 1793 – July 28, 1794) or simply The Terror (French: la Terreur) was a period of about eleven months during the French Revolution when struggles between rival factions led to mutual radicalization which took on a violent character with mass executions by guillotine. ... Flag of the so-called Armée Royale et Catholique (Royal and Catholic Army) from Vendée Insigna of the royalist insurgents During the French Revolution, the 1793-1796 uprising in the Vendée, variously known as the Uprising, Insurrection, Revolt, Vendéan Rebellion, or Wars in the Vendée... Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ... The protection in France known as Monument historique is a State procedure by which heritage is instituted for a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings or an entire neighborhood, plus gardens, bridges, and other structures because of their architectural and historical importance. ... The Minister of Culture and Communications is, in the Government of France, the cabinet member in charge of national museums and monuments; promoting and protecting the arts (visual, plastic, theatrical, musical, dance, architectural, literary, televisual and cinematographic) in France and abroad; and managing the national archives and regional maisons de...

Wine

Main article: Chinon wine

In recent years, its wines have come to be recognized as some of the best produced in France. Carved into the banks of the Vienne River, and open to public visits, are the caves, or wine cellars, for Chinon's famous Cabernet Franc-based red wines. // Chinon wine comes from the vineyards around the town of Chinon in Touraine. ... A glass of red wine This article is about the alcoholic beverage. ... The Vienne River is a river in France. ... Cabernet Franc is a red wine grape variety similar to and a parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. ...

Miscellaneous

Chinon was also the birthplace of François Rabelais, (c.1493-1553), a renowned Renaissance writer, famous for his Gargantua series. François Rabelais François Rabelais (c. ... 1493 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events June 26 - Christs Hospital in London gets a Royal Charter July 6 - Edward VI of England dies July 10 - Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England - for the next nine days July 18 - Lord Mayor of London proclaims Queen Mary as the rightful Queen - Lady Jane Grey... The Renaissance (French for rebirth, or Rinascimento in Italian), was a cultural movement in Italy (and in Europe in general) that began in the late Middle Ages, and spanned roughly the 14th through the 17th century. ... Gargantua and Pantagruel is a connected series of five books written in the 16th century by François Rabelais. ...

Chinon is the setting for the historic fiction story The Lion in Winter. VHS Cover The Lion in Winter is a 1966 Broadway play by James Goldman. ...

See also

• French wine
• List of Castles in France

French gastronomy France is one of the oldest wine producing regions of Europe. ...

References

For the Canadian equivalent of this channel, see History Television. ...

External link

• Ministry of Culture database entries for Chinon (French)

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