Vincennes

As I mentioned earlier, this past weekend our studio professor gave us a tour of Vincennes. Notable points on the tour were the Chateau de Vincennes and the "Festival America", which was going on at the time. 

We first went to the Chateau, which is a Medieval castle. I know this is going to come as a shock as I am an architecture student, but I've always been fascinated with different styles of architecture. Just in case you happen to stumble upon a castle, here are some tell-tale signs if it is Medieval. (Sidenote: there are a bunch of classifications within "Medieval", I'm just giving you some basics...)

1. The purpose behind a Medieval castle was defense, not just to be an opulent spectacle of wealth and indulgence. If there is no wall, gate, or drawbridge in sight, they might have perished long ago (the Middle Ages are considered to be the 5th to 15th centuries... annnnd a lot has happened since then...). Usually, you will see these things. Other defense devices include: walkways along the top of castle walls, small slits in the defensive walls which enabled knights to shoot arrows at the enemy, moats (or evidence of an pre-existing one), and its location. Smart kingdoms are located on a hill and near a fresh water source (think about it).

Approaching the donjon, which is the main tower on the grounds. Here, you'll find everything you need if you're a king or queen in the Middle ages. This is the tallest remaining donjon in Europe.

2. Masonry construction. Structural steel did not exist in the Middle Ages (duh), so buildings were supported by load-bearing walls*. As a result the walls are extremely thick and heavy, allowing them to act as insulators from the elements. I don't know how much help they did since the interiors are completely stone as well. Brr! The windows in this type of construction tend to be smaller, since each fenestration (just call me Merriam Webster) weakens a wall, annnnd again the weather/protection thing. Bigger windows = more drafts + easier targets. 


* We don't have examples of Medieval castles in the US, but if you want to see a good example of load-bearing wall construction, look no further than the Monadnock Building in Chicago. It is the tallest commercial building constructed with load-bearing walls.

Those distinctive rings along the exterior helped with structural support while also helping to shed water during rainstorms.

Small windows and stained glass.

There was an exhibit of Piranesi's drawings on display. They were incredible.

Remnants of painted walls.

A splash of color.

Wall carving dated May 4, 1618. I tried looking up "Abovenge", but was unsuccessful. Any guesses?

It's hard to see, but I am warming my hands by the flames projected onto the back wall of this enormous fireplace. This picture is dedicated to Jenn, one of my closest friends. We've been taking fireplace pics (architecture students do weird things on building tours... whatevah whatevah) since '07 and we're not stopping yet! Miss you!

Fortified walls displaying their age.

The grounds also contained the Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes, which was completed in 1552. Now we're getting into the Renaissance and Gothic cathedrals. Descriptions of this will be saved for another day.

Gargoyles were used to remind people of the evil in the world, and that the church could protect you from it. On a more practical level, they were used to dispel water from the roof.

To the left you can see my friend Zach sitting with our professor Michael. I'll let you take an educated guess as to who is who.

Oops!

One of the pavilions (built in the 17th century) and the exterior wall which runs along the perimeter of the grounds. In Medieval times, this would be considered the town.

Next stop: Festival America.

Before you get too excited, seeing "Festival" and "America" in the same sentence, it was a little more... sophisticated than your average festival. There weren't any foods-on-a-stick, giant slides,  or animal barns (CC: Minnesota State Fair).  And definitely not any fanny packs.

This was a festival dedicated to the literature and indigenous culture of North America. (Mainly the US, Canada, Mexico, Haiti, and Cuba.) Most of the events took place in buildings or large tents. They included discussions, book sales, author meet-and-greets, performances, and exhibits. My favorite part were the exhibits - I loved seeing how photographers captured the history and nuances of different cultures.

By this time, we were all getting pretty hungry and tired from walking. What happened next you ask? The beauty that was last week's Foodie Friday (errr... Saturday, sorry about that!).

Just your casual street performers! They were walking around everywhere.

Ode to the Americas.

I would suggest Vincennes if you are in Paris and wanting to see a great example of Medieval architecture. It is located on the metro/RER A line, so it is extremely convenient for a quick morning/afternoon escape from the city. We were all shocked at how quiet and peaceful the town was, especially with its proximity to Paris.

And if you were wondering, yes my friend Aubrey and I sang this, while walking the streets. With some of the trips we have planned, it won't be the last time either! It's just what small French towns do to you.

xo L