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Origin and history

The Commandery of Condat, also known as Château de Condat, is a former possession of the Hospitallers of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, located in the village of Condat-sur-Vézère, Dordogne. Certified as Hospitalis de Condato in 1239, it served as a strong house for the commander, a tithe barn, a pilgrim hospital and a hospital. It was the most important command office in the Périgord, playing a central role in local religious and economic life.

During the religious wars, Huguenot Pouch turned the church into a fortress, which was besieged and taken by the Lord of Losse. The site changed hands several times during these conflicts, then during the Fronde. At the Revolution, sold as a national property, its premises were reused as a mill and mill in the 19th century. The dungeon, characteristic with its mâchicoulis and breche, was inscribed in historical monuments in 1948, while other elements were inscribed in 2012.

Architecturally, the commandory consists of a 16th-century house next to a 15th-century dungeon, typical square tower of the period. The site, built at the confluence of the Coly and the Vézère, also preserves a church with a bell tower, always used as a parish. In 2022, the town purchased the command office for a rehabilitation project estimated at 3.6 million euros, after centuries of varied use (moulin, milling) and a period of decommissioning.

Historical sources mention detailed archives, such as the visit reports of 1626 or the studies of the Count of Mirandol on his last commander, Armand de Bourbon Malause (1732-1741). These documents underline its importance in the hospital network of the language of Provence, as well as its defensive and agricultural role in the region.

Today, although closed to the public, the Commanderie remains a major testimony of the medieval and modern history of the Périgord, mixing religious, military and economic functions. Its future now depends on restoration projects carried out by the municipality.

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