Château de Villers-Cotterêts. Vue aérienne

 France > Hauts-de-France > Aisne > Villers-Cotterêts

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The Great Royal Castle Willer-Kotra was built in 1530-1556. Francis! King Francis was fond of hunting, and local hunting grounds belonged to his most beloved, he personally controlled the construction of this castle. In 1539, Francis I signed here the famous Ordonance Willer-Kotra, which secured the status of the French language as a state (instead of Latin) and contributed to the transformation of France into a unitary state. The successor of Francis I Henry II also loved to spend time in Viller-Kotra, by his order, the castle was reconstructed by Filiber Delorm-the best architect of that time, the creator of the famous Shenonso castle. The revolution of 1793 laid the end of the brilliant story of Chatea Viller-Cotra, having transformed it into a work house for Parisian poor and disabled people, until recently, he was used as a nursing home. In 2018, French President Emmanuel Macron decided to make it an international center of the French language.