The Château de Meung is part 12th-century fortress, part 18th-century residence. From the 12th century to the time of the French Revolution, it served mainly as the country seat of the bishops of Orléans, although in 1429 Lord Salisbury used it as his headquarters during the Siege of Orléans. (When Salisbury was killed in the fray, Lord Talbot took over but could not prevent Joan of Arc from capturing the château.) It was sold after the French Revolution and had stood empty and derelict for years before private restoration began in the early 1970s. It has since been furnished with a diverse collection of artifacts that range from 12th-century antiques to medieval crossbows, World War II submachine guns, and military helmets from the Middle Ages to 1945. The most unexpected part of the hour-long tour is the underground network of tunnels, dungeons, and storehouses, including a chapel and torture chamber.
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