Thousands of French nationals joined hands to save a 13th-century crumbling castle, reported the BBC.
The “La Mothe-Chandeniers” in the town of Les Trois-Moutiers, west of France, was conquered by British troops twice, and destroyed during the French Revolution. It was also damaged by a fire in 1930 following a full restoration.
Finally, some 6,500 people donated at least €51 each via internet to collect €500,000 and buy the castle again.
Under the new contract, each contributor has been considered an owner of the castle, which was purchased on December 1 by a site dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage in cooperation with the cultural organization “Adopting the Castle” that organized a collective fundraiser campaign.
On a Facebook page established to promote the campaign, organizers said that nearly 13,000 people liked the page.
People from 45 nationalities have participated in this effort, and have become stakeholders in a monument of French heritage.
The owners will not be the first to visit the castle in 2018, but they will contribute to decisions on how to implement the restoration, and will be able to track progress through an online platform. The castle is surrounded by a trench and features its ornate balconies and arches.
