Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Lienesse came into being in the 12th century, although today's buildings date mainly from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Originally, it had a fortified house body, flanked by two corner towers and a central tower with a staircase. This first building, partially preserved, was completed at the beginning of the 16th century by a new Renaissance building, next to the southern gable. The original southwest tower was then demolished to allow this extension, illustrating the transition between medieval defensive architecture and Renaissance ornamental aesthetics.

In the 19th century, the castle underwent a complete restoration led by architect Camus, who restored a unit to the whole while preserving its historical characteristics. The site was originally lined with ditches and courtines, now extinct, forming a square courtyard. The western house, marked by two turrets and a gallery with prismatic columns, bears witness to this mixture of times. The circular dovecote, inscribed in the Historical Monuments in 1971, is distinguished by its carved decorations (volutes, animals, rinceaux) and its interior system of pottery nests, still visible.

The whole, today privately owned, retains remarkable elements such as the rotating scale of the frame or the various capitals of the pigeon tree. These details reflect both the residential and symbolic functions of the castle, typical of the mansions of the Renaissance in the Loire Valley. The accuracy of its location, however, remains poor, with an approximate address based on GPS coordinates (74 Lienesse, Neuilly-en-Dun).

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