Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château des Fontaines was built at the end of the 19th century in Gouvieux, Oise, under the impetus of Baron de Rothschild. In 1878 he entrusted the construction of a neo-XVIIth century castle to architect Felix Langlais, on a 50 hectare estate. In 1880, English erected the iconic entrance door, known as the Tourelles, marking access to the estate. The park, designed by landscape architect Charles Masson, is inspired by 18th century gardens, with views centered on the castle.

Between 1892 and the early 20th century, the Rothschilds built several outbuildings: a Norman farm (1892), stables, a concierge house, and a fishing house. The estate, organized as a model aristocratic property, combines eclectic architecture and careful landscaping. In 1946, the family sold the castle to the missionary seminary association of Gouvieux-Chantilly, intended to train Jesuits. The latter partially transformed the site, adding a chapel decorated by Albert Gleizes (1950), a library by Henri-Marie Delaage (1952), and a hotel.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1999, the castle retains protected elements: facades, roofs, monumental staircase, as well as the Norman farm and the Tourelles. The estate, now privately owned, bears witness to the Rothschild's architectural heritage and its evolution towards religious and educational use in the 20th century.

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