Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The château de Ferrières, also known as château du Bourg, is a building located in the commune of Ferrières-sur-Sichon, in the department of the Allier, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Originally built in the 16th century, it underwent major transformations in the 19th century, notably in 1850 under the impulse of Colonel Louis-Guillaume Le Jeans. Today, only the dungeon remains as a testimony of the medieval structure, with its architectural features marked: a square base, a cylindrical tower housing a spiral staircase, and door windows on three levels.

The castle is linked to the history of the family of La Tour d'Auvergne, since François de La Tour d'Auvergne, grandfather of the famous Marshal Turenne, was born there on 15 January 1526. This monument, partially protected since 1982 (façades and roofs of the dungeon), illustrates the architectural evolution between Renaissance and modern times, while preserving defensive elements typical of the castles forts.

The 19th century changes, attributed to Colonel Le Jeans, profoundly altered the primitive aspect of the castle. Among the traces of this period are the family coat of arms engraved above the main entrance door. The arched passage in the middle of the hangar, crossing the building from east to west, recalls the residential and strategic functions of the building throughout the centuries.

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