Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Amou, located in the Landes department in New Aquitaine, was built between 1678 and 1692 on the plans of architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart for Léonard de Caupenne, Marquis d'Amou and governor of Bayonne. This monument, inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1948 (castle) and 2000 (dependances and portal), illustrates a harmonious synthesis of classical styles and Louis XIII. It preserves original interior decorations, including a monumental stairwell and a living room decorated with canned pilasters. Transmitted directly since its creation, the estate has preserved its agricultural vocation, including a private chapel.

The entrance gate, dismantled in 1839 from the Abbey of Saint John of the Castella (Duhort-Bachen), was relocated to the site. The vestibule has been home since 1902 to a Gallo-Roman mosaic of the fourth century, discovered on the villa of Gleyzia (Augreilh), while other fragments adorn a house in Saint-Sever. These elements testify to the artistic re-uses carried out by the owners over the centuries, while anchoring the castle in a multi-year regional heritage.

Ranked for its unbroken architecture and family history, the castle of Amou embodies both the Dutch aristocratic heritage and the successive adaptations of its building. Its dependencies, always dedicated to farming, underline the sustainability of its initial function. The inscription of the ensemble (castle, gate, outbuildings) in 2000 devotes its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its furniture and its preserved decorations.

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