Château de Sully-sur-Loire, Center-Val de Loire, France Mar 12, 2025

Château de Sully-sur-Loire, Center-Val de Loire, France

If you"re a lover of history with a dash of drama, the Château de Sully-sur-Loire, in the center of northern France, has you covered. This fortress has seen it all—battles, power shifts, and royal connections. Originally built in the 14th century, the medieval castle was designed to guard the Loire River and control access to the region. Over time, it evolved into a residence for nobility, most notably serving as the home of Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully, who was a trusted minister of King Henry IV. The castle played a significant role during the French Wars of Religion from 1562 to 1598 and has witnessed countless moments of intrigue and diplomacy. In 1940, during World War II, the castle wall was hit by shells, creating massive holes, but the framework remained intact.

© StockPhotoAstur/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Mar 12, 2018It’s Napping Day
Mar 12, 2019The otherworldly red river
Mar 12, 2020Fiesta at Siesta
Mar 12, 2021Ringing in the new year at Teotihuacan
Mar 12, 2022The Girl Scouts celebrate 110 years
Mar 12, 2023Lucian Blaga National Theater, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Mar 12, 2024Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
Mar 12, 2026Juvenile sunbittern displaying at nest, Ecuador

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Mar 29, 2026Peggys Point Lighthouse, Atlantic Coast, Nova Scotia, Canada
Jan 7, 2019An avian predator built for the snow
Jun 5, 2024World Environment Day
Jul 24, 2020Trunks stick together
Feb 19, 2018Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Washington, DC
Oct 11, 2025World Migratory Bird Day
Dec 3, 2021Frost on autumn leaves
Jul 18, 2023Great hornbill, Thailand
Dec 20, 2023Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
Dec 5, 2020A cozy winter village
Jan 20, 2023Penguin Awareness Day
Oct 23, 2025International Day of the Snow Leopard
Mar 11, 2024National Napping Day
Apr 27, 2023South Padre Island, Texas
Jul 17, 2022The Wave at Coyote Buttes
Dec 5, 2023Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, Bavaria, Germany
Feb 17, 2021The persistence of Perito Moreno
Sep 6, 2025National Hummingbird Day
Dec 3, 2022Art Basel Miami Beach
May 18, 2025International Museum Day
Jun 8, 2019Diving into World Oceans Day
Jul 14, 2020Under Parisian skies
Nov 13, 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Majorca, Spain
Oct 22, 2021Jasper Dark Sky Festival
Feb 28, 2020Looking down on the Otter
Nov 8, 2018Manatees rebound
Aug 1, 2024Floating market, Kaptai Lake, Bangladesh
Oct 29, 2022Sea Slug Day
Jun 14, 2023Flag Day
Dec 7, 2022National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day