Medieval Fireplace In The Movies

Medieval history is a theme featured in many movies. Medieval times were so colourful compared to life today and it's not surprising that when this is portrayed well, the movies that take a medieval theme prove very popular. Two such examples are "The Lion In Winter" (1968 - about Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine) and "Braveheart" (1995 - about William Wallace),

We recently watched the movie "Joan Of Arc" (1999) directed by Luc Besson. Having read about the life of Joan of Arc and also read the reviews of the movie itself, we knew not to expect full historical accuracy but it was interesting to see how the director had tackled such a powerful medieval story, how he portrayed the battles, etc.

One particular scene caught my eye ... the setting was supposed to be the English court where Joan's activities in France were being discussed. Immediately I recognised the fireplace and the steps in front of it - it was a fireplace I had seen in real life, not on a studio set!

Where was the fireplace? Not in England! It was a medieval fireplace quite unique in its size and design - in the Ducal Palace in Poitiers, France. Here it is in a short video clip .... look out for it next time you watch the movie!