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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Massebeau, located in the commune of Murat in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, is mentioned for the first time in 1315 in the form of a seigneury dependent on the Viscounty of Murat. It was only during the second half of the 15th century that the present building was built, reflecting the civil architecture of that period marked by the transition between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Its two wings, separated by a courtyard, are connected by defensive and residential elements, typical of the castles of this time.

The monument is distinguished by its structure in two opposite buildings, each with a central staircase tower on the interior façade. The courtyard, closed to the west by a wall and opened to the east by a porch, includes a second access leading to a valley. Inside, the coffered ceiling on the first floor of the north wing and the two monumental chimneys of the south wing bear witness to the care taken in the decoration, characteristic of the seigneurial residences of the late 15th century.

Partially classified as historical monuments since 1980, Massebeau Castle protects its facades, roofs, as well as these remarkable interior elements. Although its later history is little documented in the available sources, its architecture and legal protection make it a valuable testimony of the auvergnat castral heritage, linked to the feudal history of Murat's Viscounty.

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