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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Mexant Tower of Neuvic is the last vestige of a castle built in the 13th century by the family of Veilhan de Penacors. This castle, initially flanked by four towers, was abandoned in the 16th century in favor of a more comfortable private hotel in the city, Hotel Saint-Mexant. The preserved tower, typical of medieval defensive architecture, features a pepper shop with a spiral staircase, adorned with pilasters and ground lintels.

The entrance door to the tower, which is open, is marked by canned pilasters surmounted by ionic capitals and a pediment surrounding a shield. Nearby, an inner courtyard suggests the foundations of a second square tower, while an old chapel, with openings topped by a stablely classical, completes the whole. These elements illustrate the transition between medieval architecture and Renaissance influences, characteristic of the monuments of this period in Limousin.

The tower, classified as a Historic Monument since 1972 for its facades and roofs, bears witness to the evolution of the lifestyles of the local noble families. Its abandonment in the 16th century reflects the decline of fortresses in favour of urban residences more adapted to the new requirements of comfort. Today, it remains a rare example of military and residential heritage combining medieval defences and Renaissance decorations in southwestern France.

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