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Origin and history

The château-Haut de Lisle, located in the commune of Lisle (Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine), is a Renaissance residence built in the late 16th century. It replaces an ancient castle mentioned in 1129 and 1211, belonging to the family Saint-Astier, and devastated during the wars of Religion. The present building, composed of two houses in square, incorporates a buried Romanesque bass room and preserves remains of medieval fortifications, including a wall and substructures of a master tower.

The most remarkable element of the castle is its Renaissance staircase, dated from the reign of Henry IV (late 16th century), although its balusters are posterior (Louis XIII era). This staircase with straight bearings, adorned with canned doric columns and carved box ceilings, is based on Gothic caps. The castle, partially listed as historical monuments in 1942 for its staircase, was successively owned by the Lioncel Pressac (XVI century), Bertin (XVIII century) and Fargeot (from 1764 to the 20th century).

The excavations and architectural observations reveal a superposition of eras: a buried Romanesque aula (today cellar), remains of the 12th century main tower, and walls of urban fortifications integrated with outbuildings. The site thus illustrates the evolution of a place of power, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, marked by religious conflicts and successive reconstructions. The foothills and the southeast fence wall, punctuated with traces of the old defences, bear witness to this historic stratification.

The château-Haut is also distinguished by its urban context: the remains of the ramparts of Lisle, partially preserved, suggest an integration between the fortress and the city. The barn of the estate incorporates elements of the medieval wall, while the inner courtyard, bordered by the rue du Château-Haut, reveals the ancient grip of the site. Despite the destruction of the Wars of Religion, the present building, with its crucifixed windows and corbelled turret, perpetuates the architectural heritage of the Lioncel Pressacs, its alleged sponsors.

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