Château du Busca-Maniban

English translation

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History

This residence belonging to a family of the robe, was built in 1649 on the site of a feudal castle. The plan develops around a central courtyard. It comprised two wings on the façade facing the gardens, but one of them has disappeared. The original arrangements were preserved without too much alteration, and still represent fairly faithfully what was the seigneurial residence of a powerful magistrate in the middle of the 17th century. The pigeon tower of the castle has the characteristic of bringing together the two types of pigeon towers proper to Gers. In height, it presents the type of "pied-de-mulet" (rectangular tower without arcading at the base) ; at ground-floor level the type of "hune" (on feet). The ground floor is vaulted with a barrel vault. In the centre, a spiral staircase taken in a square mass, giving access to a chamber with a ceiling whose roof comprises the usual set-back of Toulouse pigeon towers. Against animals harmful to pigeons, an interior drip-stone was placed at the base of the vault, a second drip-stone was placed on each pillar, finally, a third encircles the main structure on the exterior.