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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de Beauvais, located in Limoges in Haute-Vienne, is an emblematic achievement of architect Joseph Brousseau, built between 1765 and 1768. This monument of the 3rd quarter of the 18th century replaces a 15th century building, built on the remains of an 11th century castle. Only a chimney and sections of moat, integrated into the current outbuildings, remain from that time. The castle, of classic sober style, would have served as a model for the palace of the bishopric of Limoges, another major work of Brousseau.

Beauvais Castle was originally designed as a residence for the abbots of the abbey of Saint-Martial de Limoges, located a few kilometers away. Its rectangular centered plan is organized around a main axis composed of the large living room and dining room, with facades marked by central forebody. The north facade, lightly sloping, houses the entrance to the dining room, while the south façade, with strong protruding, gives access to the large living room. The complex, classified as historical monuments since 1990, also includes a chapel, barns, greenhouses and a park with trees.

Three castles succeeded each other on this site: the first, dated the 11th century, was replaced in the 15th century by a building of which only a fireplace and remnants of moat remain. The present castle, built under the Ancien Régime, bears witness to the influence of the abbots of Saint-Martial, who lived there until the Revolution. Its architecture, marked by symmetry and classical rigour, reflects the aesthetic canons of the 18th century in Limousin, while integrating elements inherited from previous eras.

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