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Origin and history

The castle of Saint-Thamar, located in Terrou in the Lot department in Occitanie, is a building whose origins date back to the thirteenth century with a pre-existing fortified house. It was rebuilt in the 15th century by the Columbus family, glass masters who arrived in Quercy in 1469. This family, a supplier of glass from the Palace of Versailles in the 17th century, profoundly marked the history of the castle by its architectural transformations and its artisanal heritage.

In the 17th century, the Columbus de Saint-Thamar, who became Protestants, remodeled the castle before some of the family converted to Catholicism, like Thamar de Columbus, lord of the place, married in 1687. The main body of the building was rebuilt in the 18th century. The castle went through the French Revolution without damage, thanks to the popularity of François de Columbus de Saint-Thamar, mayor of Terrou several times between 1800 and 1870.

The property remained in the Columbus family until 1873, when it passed to the Lachièze of Briance by inheritance. In 1918, the direct line died with the death of Jacques Félix de Columbus de Saint-Thamar, then that of his heir, Jacques de Gaches de Venzac, during the First World War. Sold in 1934 to the Soulié, a Parisian family, the castle became a refuge for Jewish families during the Second World War.

In 1944, the castle suffered the abuses of the 2nd SS Das Reich division, which burned a wing, spared thanks to the intervention of the villagers. Terrou, the base of the local maquis, was awarded the Resistance Medal for his commitment. After the war, the estate was sold in 1956, before being listed for historical monuments in 1975, recognizing its heritage importance and its turbulent history.

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