Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France
Château de Pondres
Villevieille, Gard, France
The record
- Designation
- Historic monument, registered (inscrit)
- Protection
- inscrit MH
- Extent of protection
- Château de Pondres (cad. A 898) : inscription par arrêté du 6 décembre 1990
- Protection dates
- 1990/12/06 : inscrit MH
- Type
- château
- Ownership
- propriété privée
- Commune
- Villevieille
- Département
- Gard
- Region
- Occitanie
- Country
- France
- Coordinates
- 43.80784, 4.09001
- Mérimée reference
- PA00103335
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
IGN France — GéoportailDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public LibraryDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1603 map "Languedock." (Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division, The New York Public Library).
The Ministère de la Culture's notice
Historique
Le château serait bâti sur une villa gallo-romaine. De l'époque médiévale subsiste la base des murs de la tour sud-ouest (ancien donjon ?). Le château est rebâti au 17e siècle. En 1792, il est pillé et incendié. La restauration est entreprise en 1779 par Isidore de Montleur, musicien compositeur. L'édifice présente un plan en U, des tours carrées cantonnant les quatre angles. La tour sud est plus ancienne et pourrait être l'ancien donjon. L'entrée se fait par l'aile sud-est. La cour s'ouvre largement au nord-est vers le parc planté et un paysage agricole. La ferme s'étend au sud-ouest et est séparée du château par une petite cour. Son plan prend également la forme d'un U. En contrebas, sur le ruisseau l'Aigalade, se trouve le moulin. Le mur d'enceinte est percé de nombreuses meurtrières. La petite tourelle polygonale est couverte d'un dôme et couronnée par une boule taillée en polyèdre, qui surmonte l'escalier à vis de la tour nord. L'aile nord-est présente un aspect fortifié (bretèche centrale, crénelage repris au 19e siècle). Ce château est un témoignage important de l'architecture du milieu du 17e siècle en Languedoc.
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
History
The castle is said to be built on a Gallo-Roman villa. From the medieval period, there subsists the base of the walls of the south-west tower (former keep?). The castle is rebuilt in the 17th century. In 1792, it is pillaged and burned. The restoration is undertaken in 1779 by Isidore de Montleur, musician composer. The building presents a U-shaped plan, with square towers flanking the four corners. The south tower is older and could be the former keep. The entrance is via the south-east wing. The courtyard opens widely to the north-east towards the planted park and an agricultural landscape. The farm extends to the south-west and is separated from the castle by a small courtyard. Its plan also takes a U shape. Below, on the Aigalade stream, is located the mill. The enclosure wall is pierced by numerous loopholes. The small polygonal turret is covered with a dome and crowned by a ball cut into a polyhedron, which surmounts the spiral staircase of the north tower. The north-east wing presents a fortified aspect (central bretèche, crenellation redone in the 19th century). This castle is an important testimony to the architecture of the mid-17th century in Languedoc.
Nearby in the register
- Pigeonnier de Pondrespigeonnierunder 1 mi
- Vestiges du village préhistorique de Fontbouissesite archéologiqueunder 1 mi
- Chapelle Saint-Julien de Montredonchapelle1 mi
- Châteauchâteau1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.