Château de Barbezieux

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 first castle is known from the beginning of the 11th century. The present building was rebuilt around 1480. Sold during the Revolution, the south-east châtelet is rented to the department and serves as prison until 1820. In 1845, the castle is bought by the town which demolishes part of it and restores the rest for use as a hospital (until 1908) and theatre (present hall arranged around 1900). Around 1922, a new building is constructed to the west by architect Maurice Mignon. Of the inner enclosure there remain a fragment of the north curtain with the covered wall-walk, terminated to the east by a half-cylindrical tower, as well as the former barn and stable adjoining it. The castle had to the south-east a gate framed by round towers whose passage was situated under the church of Saint-Ymas, single nave of four bays, followed by a flat chevet oriented south-east, with lateral chapel vaulted with ribs. To the south was found the keep which was completed by two towers demolished in the 18th century. This keep commanded a postern. To the north-west, between two towers, a building with two gables was called the "revenue collector's pavilion". A real tennis court and a well were found nearby. A second well served the keep. Moats existed around each enclosure. The frames of the openings, the crenellations, the angles of the walls and the gables were partly remade in the 19th century. The façades and the interior of the former barn and stable were transformed in the middle of the 19th century to house a theatre à l'italienne, a café and rooms on the floor above.