Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Museum of Art and History of Cognac is housed in the former Hotel Dupuy d'Angeac, acquired in 1921 by the municipality. This building, integrated into Cognac's public garden, is part of a remarkable landscape set originally designed as two distinct properties. Landscaper Antoine Raymond Clavery merged the two gardens in 1921, preserving the 19th century romantic style while exploiting natural valleys to create a theatre of nature. This museum is part of a seven-hectare park, partially classified as historical monuments since 1944 for its Gothic pavilion, built in 1835.

The garden, conceived as an English-style garden, was designed in the 19th century by Édouard André, and then rebuilt after the storm of 1999 by Jean-François Galinet, who was inspired by the original plans. It houses picturesque factories, including a Gothic tower (1835), Malmaison style orangery, and antique caves with moulded mortar elements imitating tree trunks. The museum, located in the hotel's sober square courtyard, highlights the surrounding buildings, while the park offers hilly views to the city hall, with its monumental staircase and campanile, added in 1892 by architect Alfred Leroux.

The history of the site is marked by major changes: the purchase of the Hotel Otard de la Grange in 1889 to install the city hall, followed by the acquisition of the Hotel Dupuy d'Angeac in 1921 for the museum. The park, partially destroyed by the storm of 1999 (288 trees felled out of 720), was restored in accordance with the original principles of landscapers. A statue of Azerbaijani poet Mahsati Gandjavi, inaugurated in 2016, was added, illustrating the cultural opening of the site.

The Gothic pavilion, a protected element since 1944, is an octagonal factory typical of romanticism, built of bricks and cut stone, with a wrought iron balcony. It symbolizes 19th century architectural eclecticism, mixing materials and contrasting colours. The garden, lined with grills, remains an emblematic public place of Cognac, combining historical heritage, art and nature.

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