Château Gaillard looms above the River Seine near Les Andelys in Normandy, a medieval masterpiece begun in 1196 by Richard the Lionheart, simultaneously King of England and Duke of Normandy. The construction achieved remarkable speed, completed in just two years while simultaneously establishing the town of Petit Andely below. The castle displays sophisticated military engineering, featuring three concentric enclosures separated by dry moats with a keep at the inner core, and pioneered early use of machicolations in European castle design. Captured in 1204 by French King Philip II after a prolonged siege, the castle served as residence for exiled Scottish King David II in the mid-14th century before Henry IV of France ordered its demolition in 1599. Though ruined, it remains designated a monument historique and stands as a powerful reminder of the Anglo-Norman conflicts that shaped medieval European politics and fortress architecture.
