19th-Century Castles — Neo-Gothic Revival and Romanticism

The 19th century was marked by a passionate rediscovery of the Middle Ages. Romantic writers and painters glorified ruined castles and Gothic architecture. Viollet-le-Duc undertook the restoration of Carcassonne and Pierrefonds for Napoleon III. New 'medieval' châteaux were built for the industrial bourgeoisie and aristocracy, mixing Gothic, Renaissance and Oriental influences in eclectic compositions that remain fascinating testimonies to the century's taste.