Castle of Maulnes

The Château of Maulnes , located at Cruzy-le-Châtel in the Yonne is a Château of Renaissance style builds with the XVIe century.

Presentation

The castle of Maulnes is intrigant by several aspects: it is built on a regular pentagonal level, 5 equal sides of approximately 17 m; it is built on three sources; it includes/understands a basin (known as also nymphée, or fountain), to some extent interior, outside; one of these sources supplies a well located at the center of the building, whose overflow flows in the inner basin; the two other sources flow laterally in the inner basin; building articulates around cylinder of well, which is used as axis with a large spiral staircase, with the Frenchwoman, staircase which serves all five level and the terrace, located at the top.

The site belongs to the General advice of Yonne since 1997. It is opened with the visit saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, of 14:30 to 17:30, Easter to All Saints' day.

The castle is the subject of an important program of architectural, historical and archaeological studies, as well as building site of restoration.

In the beginning, the castle included/understood a pentagonal main building, in the shape of turn with 5 stages, a building of the commun runs in the horseshoe shape, a gallery connecting the two preceding works, of the bastionnés enclosing walls, a garden. There does not remain about it any more but the main building, in relatively good state, and the vestiges of the building of the commun runs, in the course of partial restoration. The whole was built in full forest, which contrasted with the uses of the time, which built only in edge.

History

What one knows of some: his dates of construction (1566-1573) are known. The beginning of the building site is known thanks to two contracts signed between one of the two silent partners and, respectively, the Master-mason and the Master-carpenter, who commit themselves building a castle according to the plans which are communicated to them. One is unaware of who is the author of these plans.

The silent partners are Louise of Clermont-Thunder, countess of Thunder, and its second husband, Antoine de Crussol, duke of Uzès. Both are close relations of Catherine de Médicis.

Archaeological research confirmed that only the main building was completed, probably since 1570. Work was stopped in 1573, with died of Antoine de Crussol. At this time, the building of the commun runs was almost completed, enclosing the wall just started, the embanked garden but not planted.

According to the remaining documents, the castle was used to affirm the presence of the lords in the territory, with the hunting and the management of the forest. The trade of the firewood towards Paris, conveyed by water way, provided an important economic resource then.

After the death of Louise of Clermont-Thunder (1596), several private owners then followed one another. The building of common was transformed into glassmaking (production of bottles, occasionally panes) of 1775 to 1844.

The reference book is:

Maulnes. Archeology of a castle of the Rebirth , directed by Monique Chatenet and Fabrice Henrion, editions Picardy, 2004. ISBN: 2-7084-0725-2

The General advice of Yonne publishes a review, the Books of Maulnes HTTP: /www.maulnes.com/modele.php?id_context_haut=2&id_context_centre=21&IDtheme=11, and manages the official site of the castle: HTTP: /www.maulnes.com, which makes it possible to have an idea of the overall concept of this building.

Assumptions

Many questions is discussed today around single architecture of this castle, of the reasons for its construction, the identity of sound or its originator (S).

One can make the assumption that this castle of the Renaissance which one does not know the architects, was ordered 2 times by Louise of Clermont-Thunder, countess of Thunder: - Initially about 1550, with its first husband François of Bellay which will die in 1553, their dying Henri son one year afterwards. These disappearances explain the abandonment of the project whose 3 plans reached us by and under cover of Androuet Ducerceau.

This " primitive project " , moved by the investment of the household Bellay in the exploitation of their forest of Maulnes, highlighted by work of Alain Christmas, can be allotted to Serlio taking into account its character of " proclamation mannerist " illustrated, recognized and honoured in particular in 1800 by an engraving with Durand, disciple of Swell, architects of the " Lights ". Then this project was taken again and realized with the second husband of Louise, Antoine de Crusol.

Work of the " building site initial" on the basis of plan reconstituted by the archaeological analysis and which testifies to an orientation " hédoniste" and of many innovations of comfort but also of defense, began in 1566 and was completed in 1575-76, following death in 1573, after the seat of the La Rochelle of Crussol, become duke of Uzés, and the abandonment into 1575-76 of Maulnes by Louise, again widowed, who will conclude the building site by work " left in plan" or modifying in the direction of simplification and will not return there any more, whereas she lives until in 1596 more.

Then will intervene until today of many recoveries and demolitions of which return account a certain number of documents and charts whose very thorough examination made it possible the author to carry the many ones and new assumptions on the state of the building site on this date 1575-76.

The archaeological analysis carried out by the current owner, the General advice of Yonne, shows as well in plans as of rises in the considerable differences with these " plans; primitifs". These differences prove that in the respect of the " pentagonal party primitif" the markets signed by Crussol in 1566, relate to plans and rises most probably re-studied by another architect since Serlio died in 1554. Perugia de Montclos inclines for Philibert Delorme which at that time is however very occupied by the construction inspired of Serlio, of the gigantic castle of Tileries in Paris for the queen Catherine de Médicis.

Another assumption would be to regard Primatice as speaker following Serlio… Primatice in France since the 28 years age, raises Michel-Angel; as much architect that painter, making ceaseless shuttles between Italy and France, taking the succession of Serlio to Ancy-The-Franc, painting a decoration with very close Tanlay, is very French Italian, as one can regard Delorme as very Italian French. What does not exclude any other architect if not Ducerceau which finally saved MAULNES by its engravings, but which made a so muddy report of it, mixing without shame " primitfs" plans; (of 1550? by Serlio?) and rises in 1575 ordered by Crussol, accumulating on its documents the inaccuracies and the errors, which it cannot surely be the author about it.

This contributor, town-planner, director of contemporary art gallery for 30 years, having almost studied all the documents and existing publications on this castle very complex, and struck by the quantity of approximations and errors generated throughout his history, have proposed a reflection summary in 6 chapters, opening obviously on still many questions, his www.enseigne-des-oudin.com site or available on request with several illustrations and likely to be entirely versed on Wikipédia if the interest were confirmed by it; 1) silent partners of Maulnes the 2) contemporary architects 3) Maulnes " proclamation maniériste" in 1550-1553 4) Maulnes " hédoniste" in construction of 1566-1573 5) Abandonment of Maulnes per widowed Louise in 1573-1576 6) Maulnes by Ducerceau in 1576 7) Conclusion and Illustrations/Discovered/Bibliography/Errata.

The Castle of Maulnes was built near a feudal fortress which had been ordered by Marguerite of Burgundy, girl of Robert II, duke of Burgundy, which married in 1305 Louis X, was said Hutin, king de France. She had richly added a vault, to repurchase her weaknesses, which did not prevent it from dying prematurely.

The castle of original form, in pentagon, is single in its kind. It included/understood a considerable surface by a wall of a first enclosure, and a second rampart sloped of protection Anti-artillery including/understanding with its angles of the Bastions crenels of defense, and in its medium a kind of semicircular bastion which can shelter several men equipped with observatories.

The entry of the castle turned towards north was equipped with a gallery circular Semi, on which two large doors opened on a court. Another bored gallery on each side of five doors, led to the single entry of the castle.

At the end of this last gallery and before the bridge levis, a third enclosing wall rose, which in turn swelled, or developed in straight line, in connection with the shapes of the castle and the gardens. Each angle of the pentagon is finished by a square stone tower of size, equipped with a circular staircase related to doric columns and openwork by interior openings, turning around a well at the bottom of which a source runs.

Jacques Androuet of the Hoop in fact already the praise since 1576 in the Most excellent Building industries of France and gives a plan as well as an axonometric sight. This castle is a single example of castle in pentagonal plan.

Become in 1697, property of the marchioness of Louvois, widow of François Michel Tellier de Louvois, Minister for the war of Louis XIV, the castle will remain in the family until in 1834. The last of Louvois, ruined and interned, will leave the castle to the abandonment during several tens of years, then will heavily be restored towards 1965.

Classified with the inventory of the Historic buildings the July 11th 1942, it was acquired by the Département of Yonne into 1997 which recently completed work of restoration.

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