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Origin and history

The Château de la Côte-au-Chapt, located in the commune of Darnac (Haute-Vienne), consists mainly of a residential tower built at the end of the 14th century. This tower, high of six levels, was equipped with latrines, fireplaces, and a staircase with internal screws. Its niches, with cruciform archeries, reflect a defensive architecture typical of the late Middle Ages. The construction of this tower is in the context of the Hundred Years' War, when Ytier du Breuil, lord of the place, affirmed his loyalty to the king of France by joining the Duke of Berry's party.

At the beginning of the 16th century, an L-shaped house was joined to the tower, as evidenced by an inventory of 1611. This building, probably commanded by Marc de Naillac, the Sénéchal de la Basse-Marche circa 1550, included rooms, a chapel, stables, and a porch tower. The cannons integrated into the kitchen and the exterior courtesines date from this period. The estate, surrounded by moat and terraced walls, also included a lower yard with a farm house, stables, and a corner scallop.

The castle changed hands by marriage for the benefit of the family of Lezay de Lusignan, who rented it to farmers from the 17th century. At the Revolution, the property of this family was sequestered, and the ruins, including the still standing dungeon, became communal property. The remains were listed as historical monuments in 1988, and the dungeon was classified in 1989. Today, the site offers a rare architectural testimony of the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, marked by defensive and residential elements.

Archaeological and documentary sources highlight the importance of the dungeon, one of the few preserved copies of this time. Its irregular hexagonal interior plan, its murderers, and its narrow screw staircase illustrate feudal military construction techniques. The outer enclosure, forming a quadrilateral, and the elevated platform reinforce its strategic character. Despite its state of ruin, the site retains significant elements, such as quadrangular watch windows and vestiges of Renaissance home walls.

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