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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Chillac Castle, located in the village of the same name in Charente, is a 15th century building rebuilt on the foundations of an ancient medieval castle destroyed during the Hundred Years War. It was historically under the seigneury of Barbezieux and was the seat of seigneurial justice. The remains of the old castle, dating from the 11th century, remain partly in the form of foundations and a derailed round tower near the 12th century Romanesque church.

The current architecture consists of a rectangular earth-plein bordered to the south by the church. The main building, on two levels, features sills and a steep roof, served by a spiral staircase in a polygonal tower. Two square wings, framed with three round towers (including one with a high pepper) complete the set. The facades and roofs have been classified as Historic Monuments since 1961, thus protecting a heritage marked by changes in the 17th and 19th centuries.

Inside, the castle preserves vaulted halls of massive solitives, 15th century chimneys decorated with columns, and deep cellars reflecting its residential and defensive use. Property in the 18th century of the Marquis de Donissan de Citran, great senechal of Guyenne, it illustrates the evolution of medieval fortresses into aristocratic residences. Subsequent modifications (gateway of the 17th century, extensions to the 19th century) reflect its adaptation to the needs of successive periods.

The site, occupied since ancient times, reveals ancient foundations around the present castle. These archaeological traces, combined with the archives mentioning the lords of Chillac from the 13th century, underline its local historical importance. Today, the castle remains a major architectural testimony of the medieval and modern Charente, combining defensive and residential elements.

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