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Origin and history

The Château de Beaulieu-sur-Loire found its origins at the end of the 12th century, when Geoffroy de la Brière began its construction. At the end of the 14th century, the land and the castle became the property of the canons of Saint-Étienne de Bourges, who restored it and strengthened its defences. This monument, originally conceived as a fortress, was surrounded by fortifications protecting the city. Canons played a central role in its evolution, notably by changing its structure in the 18th century.

In the 18th century, an eastern part of the castle was demolished to give way to a house serving today as a presbytery. The adjacent Romanesque church, dated the 11th century, suffered major damage in 1569 during a fire caused by the Protestants, partially destroying its lateral naves. The chapter of Bourges then rebuilt the transept and bedside in 1597. The monumental door of the façade, added around 1836, as well as the woodwork and beautifications of the eighteenth century, testify to the successive changes of the site.

Today, the castle of Beaulieu-sur-Loire is partially protected, with its facades and roofs of the entrance inscribed in the Historical Monuments since 1986. The site, owned by the commune, preserves traces of its medieval and religious past, notably through its Romanesque nave and the remains of its original fortifications. Its history reflects religious conflicts and architectural developments in the Centre-Val de Loire region.

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