Angers is a city in Northwest France. Tourists with a bent towards art and history will find heaven in Angers as it has very old cathedrals dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries, houses or chateaus that have antique wooden floorboards, and museums that feature exhibits of old tapestries with patterns that reveal the history of Angers and its founding fathers.
One of the more famous chateaus, the château du Roi René, is a 13-century fortress with flowering gardens. The city also has world famous botanical gardens, the Jardin des Plantes d’Angers , and the Jardin botanique de la Faculté de Pharmacie d’Angers. For its gardens and arboretums, Angers has become known as ‘Europe’s Most Flowered City.’
Angers is primarily rectangular in layout, with three main boulevards and a river forming the fourth side. Administrative, commercial and cultural life is mostly centered in the Place du Raillement found in the rectangle’s center.
The winding walkways found all over the city also provide venues for peaceful contemplation.
There are buildings of restored Romanesque monasteries such as that of the Abbey St. Aubin, and they speak much about the architectural schools that became dominant through the centuries. They are the locations of the city prefecture. The architecture feature cloister arcades with windows and carvings that date back to the 12th century. Along with the ancient tapestries and medallions, the monasteries are the subject of art historians.
The House of Adam can be found on Toussaint street, across the Northern part of the Angers Cathedral. Erected in the 15C, it is half constructed of timber, and its walls feature lattice woodwork in a diamond pattern. Standing four stories high, it is the a genuine showpiece of the town,
As one walks through the old parts of the town preferably at a leisurely pace, one can find the Beaux Arts Museum and its tower. The tower and its belfry are from the 12th century; both tower and the Benedictine Monastery it was part of attract tourists for its Romanesque ornamental features.
The artist David d’Angers became famous for his 500 portrait medallions. He made one for all the important and influential personalities during his era. The medallions can be found at the Rue Tussaint. He named himself after his town, and in return for the gesture, the town provided a gallery for his creations. The museum is the former All Saints Abbey which was restored in 1984.
Visitors find Angers to be charming, pretty, old, new and beautiful. It’s easy to be comfortable in the town; some of the small hotels and inns boast modernity, but others are homier. Restaurants make an effort to meet the gustatory inclinations of tourists – kebabs are available, for instance, in some restaurants. Bartenders are said to be friendly and willing to tell stories about the history of the City and the legends attached cathedrals and other historic architecture.
Angers cuisine is typical French featuring ingredients that would seem exotic to foreigners such as stuffed artichokes and rabbit, but quite ordinary to local residents. A dining table staple is the different varieties of goat cheese, and the apple –based desert called Tarte Tatin.
A street in the town hub, Rue Bressigny, is where one will find a number of bars and restaurants.
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