Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Peychotte Castle, nicknamed the Square House of Arlac, is a neoclassical madness built between 1785 and 1789 in the commune of Mérignac, Gironde. Sponsored by the banker Samuel Charles Peixotto (of Portuguese origin, francized in Peychotte), the building embodies neo-Palladian architecture popular with the Bordeaux bourgeoisie. His plans, attributed to architect Jean-Baptiste Dufart, are inspired by Italian models, with a south facade decorated with a Corinthian colonnade and a rotunda lounge topped by a painted dome. The estate, originally acquired by the Mendes family in 1720, passed into the hands of several owners after the ruin of Peixotto in 1805.

In the 19th century, the castle was used in a variety of ways: Professor Élie Gintrac experimented there with silkworm breeding and the study of snake venoms (1827), while Madame Goudal set up a military hospital there during the First World War. The estate was occupied by the Germans from 1940 to 1944 and was then abandoned until its acquisition by the city of Mérignac in 1990 for a symbolic franc. Ranked a historic monument in 1983, it is subject to major restorations financed by the municipality, the DRAC, and the Aquitaine region. Its landscaped park, once intact, has been partially snacked by urbanization.

The castle Peychotte owes its fame to its bold architecture, mixing austerity (north side) and grandeur (monstral staircase and southern colonnade). Its circular living room, served by a hidden staircase, includes a gallery for musicians. The dome, decorated with allegorical paintings (attributed to Antonio Gonzalez), celebrates agriculture, commerce and navigation. Abandoned in the 1960s, the site is now destined to become a Maison des Arts, with an opening scheduled for 2027. Its architectural influence would extend to Rastignac Castle (Dordogne) and the White House (Washington).

The history of the castle reflects the social and economic upheavals of its time: real estate speculation in the 18th century, scientific adaptations in the 19th century, and contemporary heritage issues. Its rescue by the municipality illustrates the desire to preserve a threatened heritage, while offering it a new cultural vocation. The restorations saved the interior elements (paintings, woodwork) and the neoclassical structure, despite the degradation of the original park.

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