Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Colombier de la Tour aux Paulmes is a circular building built between the 15th and 16th centuries, located in the commune of Verneuil-Moustiers in New Aquitaine. This monument, with a diameter of 5.5 meters, is distinguished by its conical roof covered with flat tiles and its raised access door. Inside, it houses 533 bolts (pigeon nests) arranged regularly, with a gallows still supporting a ladder. Its floor is paved, and its architecture suggests a utilitarian and aesthetic function, typical of the seigneurial dovecoves of the time.

Originally located in an open space, this dovecote was developed in the 19th century as a factory (garden decorative element), overlooking a park and a pond. Its architectural features, such as the curly walls and the arrangement of the bolts, make it a remarkable example of the rural and seigneurial architecture of the 15th and 16th centuries. Ranked Historic Monument by order of 4 October 2010, it is today owned by a private company. Its state of preservation allows to observe interior details such as the height of the rows of bolts or the structure of the gallows.

The dovecote illustrates the economic and symbolic role of these constructions in seigneurial domains. Originally reserved for the breeding of pigeons (a food resource and seigneurial privilege), it also reflects the evolution of rural landscapes, where such buildings became fully landscaped elements. His inscription in the title of Historical Monuments underscores his heritage interest, both in his architecture and in his testimony on the agricultural and social practices of medieval and modern times.

External links