The department takes its name from the river Loiret, a left-bank tributary of the Loire; the river Loiret is located wholly within the department. The capital of the department is Orléans, which is about southwest of Paris. As well as being the regional capital, it is a historic city on the banks of the Loire. It has a large central area with many historic buildings and mansions, and a cathedral, dating back to the thirteenth century, that was rebuilt after Protestant forces destroyed it in 1568. Loiret is famous for its several châteaux.