Castle Rievaulx is located in the department of Indre-et-Loire, near another famous castle of the Loire Valley - Chinon castle.

The castle belonged to the family of Rivo Bovo, which are close relatives of the Count of Anjou, and in 1454 with still and French kings. The first building of the castle with a square dungeon dates from XIII century - it was then that the family Bovo entered the service of the French king. In 1445 the castle was rebuilt, but the foundation of his dungeon preserved to this day. The appearance of a new castle Rivo resembles typical defenses since the Middle Ages, but it abounds and the elements characteristic of the Renaissance stand out, for example, pipes and large windows.

In 1429, already at the very end of the Hundred Years War, the castle in search of Rivo horses drove the army, led by Joan of Arc. The castle was really famous for their horses - in 1510 Francois Bovo, captain of the army of King Francis I, ordered to erect in the courtyard of the castle huge stables. But during the reign of Henry III granted the status of the stables of the royal stables.

Castle Rivo mentioned in the satirical novel of Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel "- according to this work, the castle receives a gift Tolmer captain in gratitude for the victory over the king Picrochole.

In the XVII century the castle was Rivo under the auspices of the great Cardinal Richelieu - his sister was married to the owner of the castle. Bovo family owned the castle 247 years old and the last representatives left it only when we received the title of Prince Lorraine. From 1768 to 1796. He resided in the castle of the Marquis de Castellane Michelangelo, Lord Villandry. The next two centuries, the castle was in ruins.

In 1918, the castle became part of the Rivo monuments of culture and art in France. From 1960 to 1992. He resided in the castle of the French artist Pierre-Laurent Breno. In 1992 the castle there are new owners who do restoration work, and in 2000 the castle was opened to the public.

Rivo Castle is famous for its 12 gardens, like out-of-pen children's storytellers. Each of these gardens is the name of a famous fairy tale character - especially interesting garden maze of Princess Rapunzel and Alice in Wonderland. Also, in the gardens of the castle is a unique collection of rose bushes - more than 300 different varieties. More in this park, in the open air, is a museum of modern sculpture.

Among the interior of the castle of particular interest is a study Senora de Bovo. This hall is in the Gothic style, in accordance with the way the room looked lord during the reign of the Plantagenet dynasty. Room furnishings XV - XVII centuries.

In the XVI century, the walls of the castle were painted, but by the beginning of the XX century by painting the walls is almost nothing left. The only surviving mural - "Belshazzar's Feast" by an unknown Flemish master of the XVI century - is located above the fireplace in the dining room.