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Origin and history

The Palace of Bishops of Issigeac is a French castle located in the Dordogne department, in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Built around 1660 by Bishop François de Salignac on old foundations, it replaces the old ramparts of the village. This monument, called Evescat in local patois, served as a summer residence for the bishops of Sarlat, who had been their lords since 1358. Its architecture is characterized by a body of rectangular houses flanked by two pavilions and corbelled turrets, mixing brick and stone.

The history of the palace is marked by key episodes, such as Fénelon's stay in 1681 or his role as a refuge for the bishop after the capture of Sarlat by Geoffroy de Vivant. Since 1946, the building has been listed as a historic monument and is now owned by the municipality of Issigeac. Currently under renovation thanks to the Fondation du Patrimoine, it bears witness to the episcopal power in Périgord and the 17th century civil architecture.

The palace is part of the landscape of the purple Périgord, a region marked by its religious heritage and castles. Its location at the site of the old ramparts underlines its strategic and symbolic importance. The sources, such as Guy Penaud's Dictionnaire des châteaux du Périgord, confirm its status as an emblematic monument of the Dordogne, open to visitors and sometimes used for cultural events.

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