Description of the attraction
The pagoda, also called "The Choiseul Madness", is a surviving part of a once luxurious but ruined Baroque castle. In the 18th century, the castle belonged to Duke Etienne François Choiseul, former foreign minister at the court of King Louis XV. For his not very successful activity in the field of foreign policy, as well as after accusations of opposition views, Choiseul was excommunicated from the court and actually placed under "house arrest", having received an order to settle on his estate in Chanteloux.
With a request to build a pagoda, the duke turned to the architect Le Camus. The 44-meter structure was erected in three years, the author of the project gave the building an eastern tiered shape, but filled it with European "content" - in the interior of the tower you can see elements of classicism - columns, balustrades, pilasters. The Duke of Choiseul himself considered his pagoda a symbol of friendship, a dedication to those of his friends who did not turn away from their disgraced acquaintance.
The tower is built of seven tiers, with each subsequent one being smaller than the previous one. The upper tier offers a beautiful view of the Loire. The Château de Chanteloux, standing next to the tower, was so beautiful that Choiseul's contemporaries compared it to Versailles - not only because of the size of the castle, but also because of the luxury of its interior decoration.
Unfortunately, after the death of the duke in 1785, the castle changed hands many times, was resold and was eventually destroyed in the first half of the 19th century. Today, the Duke Choiseul Pagoda is surrounded by a quiet park with a reservoir.
By the way, the Duke of Choiseul managed to return to the court from “house arrest”. This was facilitated by the requests of Queen Marie Antoinette of Austria, wife of Louis XVI, who appreciated the pro-Austrian foreign policy of the duke. But Choiseul failed to achieve the former position and influence at court.
