The Royal City of Loches

The Château de Loches (also called Cité Royale de Loches) is a castle located in the département of Indre-et-Loire in the Loire valley in France; it was constructed in the 9th century. Built some 500 metres (1,600 ft) away from the Indre River, the huge castle, famous mostly for its massive square keep, dominates the town of Loches. The castle was captured by King Philip II of France in 1204. In 1985, it was converted into a museum, and has one of the most extensive collections of medieval armour in France.