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Tenture de l'Apocalypse
The Apocalypse Tapestry (displayed in a 20th-century building within the Château d'Angers and included in the entrance fee) is a large set of medieval tapestries commissioned by Louis I, the Duke of Anjou, and woven in Paris between 1377 and 1382. It depicts the story of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelation by Saint John the Divine in colourful images, spread over six tapestries that originally totalled 90 scenes, and were about six metres high, and 140 metres long in total. The surviving tapestry is about 103 metres long with 71 scenes. It is the most significant, and almost the only, survival from the first decades of the great period of tapestry, when the industry developed large workshops and represented the most effective art form for exhibiting the magnificence of royal patrons, not least because large tapestries were hugely expensive.
Château d'Angers
The site of the castle has been occupied by man since neolithic times. The Counts of Anjou built the first castle in the 9th century as a defence against the Normans. In the 13th century Louis IX rebuilt the castle in whitestone and black slate, with 17 semicircular towers, the essence of the building we see today. In the 14th and 15th centuries the Dukes of Anjou, Louis I, Louis II, and King Réné conducted a brilliant court life from within the shelter of the fortress. The castle also hosts the huge medieval Apocalypse Tapestry (see the separate listing).
Galerie David d'Angers
The All Saints Abbey is one of the biggest 13th-century abbeys in Angers. Since 1984 it has housed an important collection of plaster models, medallions, marble & bronze statues which were sent by Jean-Pierre David (1788-1856) to his native town’s museum.
The Angers Arts Library is a place devoted to contemporary creation through the loan of original artworks to the public from its collections, and its policy of regular exhibitinos and arts-related activities.
Musée des Beaux-Arts
Since 1796 the Museum of Fine Arts has been housed in the Barrault residence, a late-15th-century private home. The collection includes paintings by painters such as Chardin, Watteau, Fragonard, Boucher, David and Ingres). The collection also includes Goldsmith’s work, enamel, and ivory arts.
Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d'Angers
Angers Cathedral was constructed primarily in the 12th and 13th centuries. It is renowned for its harmonious blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles, characterized by its distinctive twin spires and richly decorated portal. Inside, visitors can admire an impressive collection of medieval stained glass, including the remarkable 12th-century “Tree of Jesse” window.