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The Chateau d'Angers (daily: mid-March to May & mid-Sept to Oct 10am-6pm; June to mid-Sept 9.30am-7pm; rest of year 10am-5pm; closed Dec-Feb; 32F/?4.88) is a formidable early medieval fortress whose sense of impregnability is created by seventeen circular towers resembling elephants' legs gripping the rock below the kilometre-long curtain wall. Inside there are a few miscellaneous remains of the counts' royal lodgings and chapels, but the immediate and obvious focus is the Tapestry of the Apocalypse , whose 100-metre length (of an original 140m) is well displayed in a modern gallery. Woven between 1375 and 1378 for Duke Rene of Anjou, it takes as its text St John's vision of the Apocalypse, as described in the Book of Revelation. A Bible would come in handy, since, though the French biblical quotations are given, the English "translation" is just explanation. The vision is of the lead-up to the Day of Judgement signalled by seven angels blowing their trumpets. After this? hail and fire mingled with blood ? were cast upon the earth and the third part of trees was burned up and all green grass ? and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea and the third part of the sea became blood ? (Rev. 8:7-8) The battle of Armageddon rages, as Satan, "the great red dragon" (depicted with seven heads), and his minions of composite animals mark their earthly followers. The holy forces retaliate by breaking the seven vials of plagues. It all ends with heavenly Jerusalem, and Satan buried for a thousand years. The slightly flattened medieval perspective has a hallucinatory quality, extraordinarily beautiful and terrifying, evoking the end of the world either in accordance with the first-century text or as a secular holocaust. If you can take in anything else after that, there are more tapestries, of a gentler nature, in the sporadically open Royal Lodgings and Governor's Lodge within the castle. Those feeling in need of a drink can head straight out of the castle and into the Maison du Vin de l'Anjou , 5bis place Kennedy (daily 9am-1pm & 3-6.30pm; closed Mon year round & Sun in winter), where the very professional and helpful staff will offer you wine to taste before you buy, and provide lists of wine-growers to visit.
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