It has been 26 years since the Guédelon Castle project started, with over 70 craftspeople and artisans working, and they say that it might take at least 20 more years before the entire castle will be constructed, much like how people during the Medieval Ages built their castles and structures.
The reason why it has taken so long for the Guédelon Castle to be built, and why it's still undergoing construction is because the team, led by Michel Guyot, Maryline Martin, and another collaborator, have decided to use Medieval methods throughout the process.
This means they won't use any tools, equipment, or materials used in modern times. So far, the materials they have used include stone, wood, paints, and dyes. Even the techniques used in building the castles will be limited to those available to people during the medieval period.
They consider it a working archaeology project as well as a great opportunity for castellologists, or people who study medieval castles, to witness firsthand what it was like for castles to be built in the Medieval era.
What inspired Guyot and his co-collaborators to start the project in the first place was a previous endeavor of renovating Château de Saint-Fargeau. Since the outer walls of that castle had stayed intact, they were inspired to build a brand new castle, without being limited by the existing ruins.
Given that this whole project is not merely an architectural or engineering project, they had to recreate the medieval lifestyle, which meant that all the people involved in constructing the castle will be living on site, which has become a village on its own.
(Image credit: Stéphane D/Wikimedia Commons)