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Origin and history

Marconnay Castle, located 3 km north of Sanxay in Vienna (New Aquitaine), is a 15th, 16th and 17th century building. It combines Gothic and Renaissance architectural elements, with a quadrangular enclosure, water moats, and a stone sleeping bridge. Two circular towers flank the wall, equipped with typical 15th century guns. The house, built in the 15th century, leans against a polygonal staircase tower, while an unfinished 17th century wing features details of the Second Renaissance.

The seigneury of Marconnay belonged to the Lévesque family from 1369 to 1683, before being acquired by Charlotte de Vernoux, lady of company of Madame de Montespan. In 1719, a fire ravaged the castle, which then became a farm operated by general farmers. The monument is classified in two stages: the poterne and the house body in 1929, and the moat, the bridge and the courtines in 2005.

The architecture of the castle reflects its social and military evolution. Originally conceived as a fortress, it gradually loses its defensive function to adopt a symbolic role. The commons, mostly built in the 18th century, bear witness to this transition. The Renaissance wing, unfinished, and the fortifications adapted to the 15th century cannons illustrate this duality between protection and prestige.

The entrance pavilion, dated from the 17th century, is covered with a curved roof and adorned with an edicle. It was once protected by two arrowed drawbridges and mâchicoulis. Today, the castle retains remarkable elements such as an entrance door framed with columns and sled windows, characteristic of the Gothic and Renaissance periods.

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