Castle of Gourdon

Presentation

The position perched of this Village, built on the rock, with 758m of altitude and dominating all the Valley of the Wolf, conferred a defensive role to him. Gourdon often was used as Fortified town. It is occupied as of the Roman epoch, then by the Sarrasin S, of VIIIe with Xe century. A first Forteresse is built in IXe century. In XIIe century, the counts of Provence, lords of Gourdon, build the Château on these foundations. The Fortification S, to the insuperable walls, contributed to make play village a part of sentinel, which it preserves until its occupation by the German S, during the Second world war. The post-war period puts a term at this defensive function and the village turns to the Tourisme. This renewal of activity puts a term at the fall of the population, due to the Rural migration and started at the XIXe century. Gourdon accommodates from now on more than one million tourists per annum.

The village, very old, is built on an about absolute peak with the steep slopes, rock, naked, fantastic, dominating the valley of the Wolf. It is the true type of the village Féodal. The rocks on which it is him were used as ramparts, made it impregnable at the time feudal. The feudal Castle the farm with the Western part. North is the only accessible part. There one still sees the old ones and solid ramparts which closed this side. Only one Gothic door gave access in the village: “It is not a long time one had the deplorable idea to destroy it under the pretext of widen the passage”. The ramparts - What remains about it, are thick walls, very high, bored loopholes, dominated by crenels. Inside, of the houses are leant there. The owners bored the ramparts of windows.

noirass and chataignass

History of Gourdon

Its geographical position makes of it a place strengthened since the High Antiquity which resisted, throughout the History, with the invasions and the wars which ensanglantèrent Provence.

Gourdon and its fortress were until in 1235 possessions of the counts de Provence, before passing to the family of Fatty-Bar, then by marriage in Villeneuve-Flayosc, to lead in 1550 to Borriglione d' Aspremont who will sell the seigniory the March 24th 1597 with Louis de Lombard, opulent a lawyer of Fatty. Lombard inherit the title of marquis de Montauroux, following a marriage in 1672.

Time of Buckwheats to that of the Jeanne queen and bands of Raymond de Turenne, the inhabitants of Gourdon, each test, will resist and overcome the attacks of their adversaries: Sardinians, armed with Charles Quint will come to butt against their obstinate resistance.

A long time desert, it was only the “site of Gordo”, which will become “Gordon” and finally Gourdon. An eye of eagle supervising the throats of the Wolf, the ground to the sea.

The Barbarians settle there then come the frank kings. The eyrie becomes a refuge for the peasants of the valley. The natural shelter is made fortified town. We are only at the 9th century. But already three centuries before Paris does not pose the first stone of the Louvre, the castle of Gourdon exists. Admittedly different from what it is today but the foundations, are sealed always there in the rock, witnesses of an old past thousand years.

From there the destiny of Gourdon is to be sentinel out of weapons, supervising the horizon of the sea, controlling the troops in convoy. Place advanced from France vis-a-vis the house of Vintimille, future County of Nice but ground then foreign and hostile.

And there that so much so that at the 12th century, the counts of Provence, for muscler their border, draw the plans of a true fortress.

History of the castle

The occupation of the country by the troops sarrasines begins in the year 700 to finish in 937, date on which the Moor S were driven out their last refuges.

At IXe and 11th century, a first fortress is built to be protected from Buckwheats, on its bases another castle is built at the 13th century, then altered at the next century in “the spirit Toscan”. It is this masonry which the count of Provence acquires, Raymond Bérenger, before yielding it to its nephew.

At the 12th century, the counts of Provence raise a fortified town on the bases of the fortress of IXe whereas they organize the defense of their border between the county of Vintimille and the county of Provence. Gordon becomes Gourdon: site strengthened on the rock cliff. It remains of this construction the general plan with, with the angles, three towers round and the large wall making rampart in the north and which looks in direction of the road Pre-of-Lake Gréolières.

The seigniory of Gourdon belongs until the April 3rd 1235 to the counts de Provence and successively to the family of Fatty, lord of the Bar, then in Villeneuve. Louis of Villeneuve accepted in 1469 the homage of the inhabitants of Gourdon, Charles VIII in 1495 confirms it in the privilege and the high jurisdiction of the places. The castle falls then to Bourillon d' Aspremont and then to Lombard. During the wars of the League, Henri Charles of Fatty Channels, order the place which it occupied and holds head with the members of a league top of this impregnable fortress. In March 1597 and November 1598, Louis de Lombard acquires the totality of the seigniory of Gourdon for 12000 ecus. In this circumstance, Henri IV, guard of Lord Louis de Lombard, exonerates revenue duties and of change in recognition of its honest services in the wars of religion, letters patent of the August 30th 1597 carrying the signature autograph of Henri IV, covered royal seal (exposed to the castle).

Lombard inherit the title of marquis de Montauroux, following a marriage in 1672. Louis de Lombard made remake and modify partly the castle which had been damaged during the wars of religion. The arcades and the first stage of the castle were built in 1610 in the spirit of the arcades of the Place from the Vosges in Paris, built at the same time (1607).

The second stage of the castle was built in 1653 per François de Lombard who married in 1654 Gabrielle de Grimaldi - the Large Cop, Duc of Enghien, distinguishes the aforementioned lord from Gourdon for, " being found with the battle of Rocroy the May 19th 1643, very with dignity to have served its Majesty there and to have lost an arm of a blow of canon".

During the wars of succession of Austria, in 1746, Lieutenant Général of Own way placed with the castle of Gourdon and had in the park a duel with the Count de Bissy.

The history of the Revolution with Gourdon was made without fights nor violences. Jean Paul Ier de Lombard, then lord of Gourdon, did not emigrate. Its presence, its liberal ideas saved its castle of devastation. Acquired with the novel ideas, it subjected gladly with the laws rising from the regime change. Withdrawn in Grasse in its hotel, it died there in 1799.

In 1794, the Riding sior charged to check the castles in order to note " those which are covered marks of féodalité" to make them demolish, known as that of Gourdon has four turns. It was not destroyed, only its turns had to suffer, one shot down in north, the three others reduced.

Jean Paul II of Lombard is the last of Lombard. He is in 1785 captain with the regiment Royal Lorraine Cavalerie. He is Maire of Gourdon the October 7th 1809 and dies in 1820 with Grasse. This one bequeaths the castle to its nephew the marquis of Villeneuve Bargemon to which the heirs will sell the residence in 1918 with an American , Miss Noris, who opens a Musée in 1938. American citizen, it becomes the lord of Gourdon until her death. Yielded to the countess of Zalewska, the manor belongs today to a business man.

In 1950, it is opened with the visit but takes definitively its vocation of historic building only in 1971, when it opens with the collections which are exposed there. Witness of our past, each one of its stones reflect one moment of the French history.

Description external of the castle

The castle of Gourdon was built in three stages.

The fortress sarrasine in IXe century

Fortress sarrasine, built at the 9th century, remain the general aspect of the castle, the three round towers and the northern wall. On these bases, the counts of Provence build a fortified town at the 12th century. A large square mass, holding with its dependences all the Western part of the village.

The fortified town of XIIe century

There were four turns with the angles which were demolished partly.

The current castle, rebuilt by Lombard at the 17th century

In 1598, Louis de Lombard repurchases the seigniory of Gourdon. And Henri IV consolidates in property for very honest services, and exonerates revenue duties this Lawyer to the court which, finding a castle there, undertakes to transform it. Gourdon of today is built. Structure in asymmetrical trapezoid.

Principal frontage transferred to North (one does not defend any more, one accommodates), of the arcades and a first stage inspired of the square of the place of the Vosges. A second also stages, but harder, poorer. The lord is not rich and the less noble stone testifies some. The arcades and the first stage go back to 1610, and the second stage of 1653. The castle is reached little by the Revolution: only the keep in north is cut down, while the turns are reduced of a stage.

Insuperable wall in the West, posts guet towards the South and the East. Later, three turns and a Donjon crown the unit. The eye with the guet, the weapon with the foot, Gourdon takes care for France.

During the Revolution, the Sans-culotte S cut down the keep but to underline the liberalism of a lord Franc-maçon, is satisfied to reduce the last stage of the turns. Two were rebuilt, but they do not arrive at the ridge of the body of building. The base of the turns is very old, one still sees the capital there. The tower of the South is demolished until a height from 2 to 3 m above the ground. The Northern tower was replaced by a modern square tower. The frontage, on the side of the village, gives on a small place which could have been the court of the castle well if one judges some by the remainders of old walls which, with the houses, dependences of the castle, closed it.

This frontage is very out of stones of size, grayed by time. A main door Renaissance style gives access the paved interior court of broad flagstones. The interior of the court is formed like the Roman impluvia, with a central drain which collects all water of Pluie and brings back them then inside towards the well which is towards the left and which is used as receptacle of water which fed the castle. Inside this one, various dates are mentioned. First of all, on a large stone with the wall, one can see: “Louis de Lombard, lord of Gourdon built the castle on the ruins of the old castle destroyed by time and the civil wars in 1610”. Another stone in the court carries the date 1611 and that of the gate of the park 1646. In the court a very old stone cistern is.

Above this door, one can observe a broad square stone where the armorial bearings of the lord as well as a broad mullioned window were probably located. This window is only the settings besides some simple old windows on the last floor. With the South-eastern angle, a round tower as with the South-western and North-eastern angles. Inclined bottom with its capital is the remaining one of an old tower.

Frontages

the Western frontage: it was used as rampart more especially as loopholes there are noticed. The old stone windows of size are less large than those of the frontage of midday. With the top of these windows, waste-gas mains with head of Crapaud which make approximately 0,40 m length. With this frontage, on the level of the second stage, one notices the presence of a large stone with the armorial bearings of the lords of Lombards de Gourdon: a gold door to sempervives. Bottom is inclined. There is a capital. Windows of under grounds, square are closed by a wrought iron netting.

the frontage East gives on the commun runs, it does not have anything in particular. It was also used as ramparts. There are no windows. A capital and loopholes give under grounds of the castle.

the Southern frontage is most interesting. It gives on the Jardin S. It is done everything in Freestone and two round towers frame it.

the Northern frontage, side village: it gives on a small place which could have been the court of the castle. It is still a stone frontage grayed by time. Those are rather important but unequal sizes. Largest can make more 0,68x0,39m and are united the ones with the others by other stones, smaller and more fines, intercalated between them, all at least with regard to the bases. The remainder of the frontage is, as for it, made up of always unequal stones of size, but connected between them by thick and definitely visible joints.

The castle, included in the defensive system which encircled the village, supplements the thick ones and solid still visible ramparts. This castle of Provence standard comprises a main building on two surmounted floors of a génoise, closing of eaves made of several rows of tiles channel in corbelling and furnished with mortar.

To the south extends a vast terrace planted from limes centenaries, ombrageant a lawn decorated with solid masses cut in circular reasons. The whole is bordered of a parapet whose angles form two balconies and a watch tower overhanging Riou running 100 m below. This terrace is pressed on an immense arched cellar, supported by solid masses pillars, it shelters a deep cistern. A staircase with double revolution leads to a lower terrace, maintained by arcs supported by powerful buttresses. It does not remain that two datable turns of the old defensive system one square with the angle is higher terrace, the other with its weephole.

In the west the garden drawn by Ours is prolonged by a park surrounded by walls by still crenelated places.

The ground floor and the vault accommodate a historical museum with old armours, furniture of XVIe and XVIIe centuries, works of art of a great artistic interest. On the second floor, seven rooms are occupied by a museum of naive and contemporary paintings.

Gardens

A large hall goes from the interior court to the terrace of midday. The hall is a room of the 12th century, from the point of view structures with the large round vaults which were opened with XVIIe.

Garden of the Apothecary 12th century The garden of the Apothecary was réagencé about 1970 by Tobie Loup of Viane. The boxwood edge follows the drawing of Greek inspired by the ancient mosaics. The landscape designer gathered against the frontage of the castle exposed to midday the simple ones that one found in the gardens of the Middle Ages. In the center of the garden of the apothecary, a sundial obliques.

Interior description of the castle

At the ground floor, big rooms as well as chimneys in Marble. All these rooms are arched.

The room of weapons (current dining room)

12th century. With its arched ceiling and its monumental stone chimney, this part is in the beginning the room of weapons before becoming, paved slate the broad ones and sumptuous flagstones, the dining room Masters of Gourdon. Furniture and the weapons date from XVIe, XVIIe and XVIIIe centuries. Vis-a-vis the chimney dating from XIVe or the 15th century, a lord of Gourdon always takes care on the spot since his framework where Mathieu the dwarf the immortalise in 1640. With respect to this same chimney, a complete coat of mail, including a pair of gantelets, each ring rivetted with the barley grain. In the ironwork of the door giving on the terrace of honor, one can find the mark of Louis de Lombard.

Against the wall giving on the park, ancestors of the pieces of artillery of fortress, a helmet of minor sapper weighing several kilos and a capeline of the Hungarian cavalry (1680). In the content a door gives access to a small square part.

The small square part

In the center an opening which gives on the basements, here on the prison of the castle (only opening letting pass the sun in the jail).

The living room of company

One can notice niches with the ceiling. Opened the large sun of midday, this living room makes it possible to observe a decoration of small capitals misleads of it the eye of the walls and the vault. Decoration which, at the time of a restoration, was found dissimulated under more than 10 successive layers of painting. One sees there too, inter alia, of the parts of furniture, of which the invaluable secretary of Marie-Antoinette, a table with plays inlaid with its ebony and ivory chess-board. Among the hung tables: a Louis XIV front the head office of Douai (1667) painted by Van Der Meulen, a portrait of gentleman of Antoine Rivalz (active French painter in Toulouse), a portrait of the Sun king côtoyant a tapestry of Aubusson of the 16th century. With the ceiling, a pair of angels Louis XIV out of carved wood and a Dutch gloss on two levels, out of silver plated bronze.

The room of the guards

12th century. Even decoration that which sheltered the men-at-arms taking care on the castle in disturbed France of the Middle Ages. With, inter alia, a polished stone pavement by the centuries. There weapons Persians are exposed: rondache, helmet and battle-axes of the 17th century presenting of various engravings and, in damascening with the money, of the mythical characters of Persia. One also finds weapons of pedestrians there used by the peasants and with double vocation: culture and the war. With the racks: Afghan weapons, generally negotiated near the emissary of the British Empire by the warlike tribes. Trônent finally a " Savonarole" and an invaluable trunk of marriage in drowning carved time Rebirth, originating in Auvergne. On the chimney in the room of the guards, the blazon with the two keys, that of the town of Cluny. The ground of origin dates from the 12th century.

The Vault

Old dining room lords of Gourdon (what explains the presence of a chimney), this part became only later on the place of worship devoted of the castle. In place of the preceding vault which, it, was in the hall of weapons of the ground floor. The vault was on the first floor until 1793, time when Gourdonnais take by storm the castle and demolished the vault of the first stage. One observes, behind the furnace bridge, a Saint-Mathieu of the Tuscan School of the 16th century. One also notices a pair of penitent carry-candle and chérubins of the end of the 17th century. On the left, Holy-Cène of Louis Silvestre, who is a draft for work decorating the vault with Versailles. Paintings of the Schools Flemish, Italian. Wood carved polychrome of which a Saint-Sebastien of Greco and also, Saint-Yves, Saint-Beno4it cheese, Saint-Joseph, Saint-Anthony. The ceiling is marked niches whose contours are reinforced by trompe-l'oeil.

The basement

With under ground, the Kitchen with a large hearth.

Chronology

700 - 937 - Occupation of the country by the troops sarrasines.
12th century - the counts of Provence raise a fortified town on the bases of the fortress of the 9th century: Gordon becomes Gourdon.
April 3rd 1235 - Property of the family of Fatty, lord of the Bar, then of Villeneuve.
1469 - Louis of Villeneuve receives the homage of the inhabitants of Gourdon.
1495 - Charles VII confirms it in the privilege and the high jurisdiction of the places.
1584 - Wars of Iigue. Henri Charles of Fatty Channels holds head with the members of a league top of this fortress.
Mars 1597 /Novembre 1598 - Louis de Lombard acquires the totality of the seigniory for 12.000 ecus.
August 30th 1597 - Letters patent of Henri IX (exposed to the castle).
1610 - Construction of the arcades and the first stage, in the spirit of the Place from the Vosges in Paris (built in 1607).
1653 - Construction of the second stage by François de Lombard, who marries in 1654 Gabrielle de Grimaldi.
May 19th 1643 - the Large Cop, Duke of Enghien, distinguish the lord from Gourdon for, to the battle of Rocroy, " very with dignity to have served its Majesty there and to have lost an arm of a blow of canon".
1746 - Wars of succession of Austria. The general Sergeant of Own way places with the castle and has, in the park, a duel with the Marquis de Bissy.
Revolution - Jean-Paul 1st of Lombard does not emigrate. Its presence, its liberal ideas save its castle of devastation. Only the turns have to suffer, reduced of a stage, the keep in shot down north.
1820 - Died of the last of Lombard, Jean-Paul II, Captain with the Royal regiment Lorraine Cavalry, he was Maire of Gourdon since the 10/7/1809. The castle of Gourdon is reserved by heritage for its nephew, the Marquis Ferdinand of Villeneuve de Bargemont.
1918/1938 - It leaves the family of Lombard and becomes property of Miss Norris, citizen American.
1942/1945 - Occupation by the German troops.
1950 - the castle is opened with the public.

External bonds

Site of the castle of Gourdon

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