Azay-le-Rideau | |
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.svg) Coat of arms | |
Location of Azay-le-Rideau  | |
  Azay-le-Rideau  Azay-le-Rideau | |
| Coordinates:47°15′44″N0°28′01″E / 47.2622°N 0.4669°E /47.2622; 0.4669 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Centre-Val de Loire |
| Department | Indre-et-Loire |
| Arrondissement | Tours |
| Canton | Chinon |
| Intercommunality | CC Touraine Vallée Indre |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Sylvia Gaurier[1] |
Area 1 | 27.34 km2 (10.56 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 3,415 |
| • Density | 120/km2 (320/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 37014 /37190 |
| Elevation | 36–102 m (118–335 ft) (avg. 45 m or 148 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Azay-le-Rideau (French pronunciation:[azɛləʁido]ⓘ) is acommune in theIndre-et-Loiredepartment in theCentre-Val de Loireregion in central-westFrance.
Thechâteau of Azay-le-Rideau was built from 1515 to 1527, one of the earliestFrench Renaissance châteaux. Built on an island in the riverIndre, its foundations rise straight out of the water. It is one of the best known of thechâteaux of the Loire valley.[3]
There is a church dedicated toSaint Symphorien near the château that is interesting for the number of architectural periods incorporated in its design. While the newest portion dates from 1603, the current façade incorporates an older 9th century façade in theCarolingian style. The original carved figures are still visible, though an added window destroyed part of the second row. The rest of the church is of aRomanesque style.[4] It was built between 1518 and 1527.
Azay-le-Rideau is the centre of theTouraine Azay-le-Rideau AOC forwhite androsé wine.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 2,755 | — |
| 1975 | 2,749 | −0.03% |
| 1982 | 2,915 | +0.84% |
| 1990 | 3,053 | +0.58% |
| 1999 | 3,100 | +0.17% |
| 2007 | 3,408 | +1.19% |
| 2012 | 3,431 | +0.13% |
| 2017 | 3,491 | +0.35% |
| Source: INSEE[5] | ||
Azay-le-Rideau is twinned withCroston inLancashire,England.[6]
The exterior design of the château d'Azay-le-Rideau's main building (as well as its surrounding area, for the most part) was used byKonami video game developing company as the prime inspiration and a direct structural base of the "Villa" location in the video gamesCastlevania 64 (appears during "Stage 03" of the game) andCastlevania: Legacy of Darkness (appears during "Stage 04" of the game), both of which were released forNintendo 64 home TV video gaming platform during January and November 1999 respectively.
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