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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Château des Lions

Preuilly-sur-Claise, Indre-et-Loire, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, registered (inscrit), in part
Protection
inscrit MH partiellement
Extent of protection
Chapelle (ancienne église Sainte-Mélanie) : inscription par arrêté du 12 mai 1927 ; Les façades et toitures de l'ancienne poterne (cad. B 129) : inscription par arrêté du 27 octobre 1971
Protection dates
1927/05/12 : inscrit MH, 1971/10/27 : inscrit MH
Type
château
Main period of construction
14e siècle, 15e siècle
Ownership
propriété d'une société privée
Commune
Preuilly-sur-Claise
Département
Indre-et-Loire
Region
Centre-Val de Loire
Country
France
Coordinates
46.85587, 0.93107
Mérimée reference
PA00097923

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1592 map "Topographia Aug. Turon Ducatus et confinium Gallia Cestica ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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This record on the Ministère de la Culture's POP platform ↗

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

Le domaine de Preuilly était considéré comme la première baronnie de Touraine. En 930, le vicomte Atton, premier seigneur connu, y construisit un château, appelé château du Lion, qui fut détruit en 1130. Au 14e siècle, la forteresse soutint plusieurs sièges contre les Anglais qui s'en emparèrent et la démantelèrent. Le château est restauré vers 1422 par Pierre Frottier, auquel Charles VII confia l'éducation de sa fille Jeanne, qu'il eut d'Agnès Sorel. Les dernières réparations furent faites au début du 17e siècle. A partir de 1650, les barons établirent leur résidence à Azay-le-Ferron, et abandonnèrent définitivement leur château de Preuilly. Au sud, une porte féodale en berceau est accompagnée d'une tour ronde et d'un petit logis couvert en pavillon, qui servaient de premières défenses à la forteresse. Le rez-de-chaussée de la tour devait servir de prison. Un mur d'enceinte encercle le domaine.

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

The domain of Preuilly was considered the first barony of Touraine. In 930, the viscount Atton, first known lord, built a castle there, called the castle of the Lion, which was destroyed in 1130. In the 14th century, the fortress withstood several sieges against the English who seized it and dismantled it. The castle was restored around 1422 by Pierre Frottier, to whom Charles VII entrusted the education of his daughter Jeanne, whom he had by Agnès Sorel. The last repairs were made in the early 17th century. From 1650 onwards, the barons established their residence at Azay-le-Ferron, and definitively abandoned their castle of Preuilly. To the south, a feudal barrel vault door is accompanied by a round tower and a small dwelling covered in pavilion form, which served as first defences to the fortress. The ground floor of the tower was to serve as a prison. A curtain wall circles the domain.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Base Mérimée, Ministère de la Culture, data last updated 2026-09-17, reused under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab). Record text is reproduced unchanged. Ministère de la Culture · Licence Ouverte 2.0
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