Origins of the castle XIIIe siècle (≈ 1350)
First mentioned building, dependent on Chantelle.
XVe et XVIe siècles
Major changes
Major changes XVe et XVIe siècles (≈ 1650)
Transformation into a seigneurial residence.
30 décembre 1980
Registration MH
Registration MH 30 décembre 1980 (≈ 1980)
Protection of the porch and remains.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Fortified Porch and the remains of the 15S and 16S remaining in the facades (Box ZD 6): inscription by order of 30 December 1980
Key figures
Information non disponible - No name cited
Sources do not mention any characters.
Origin and history
The Castle of Banassat is a medieval and reborn building located in the department of Allier, in the commune of Chirat-l'Église. It was historically dependent on Chantelle's chestnut, a feudal territory of the Bourbon region. Although its origins date back to the 13th century, its current structure is mainly the result of changes made in the 15th and 16th centuries. The castle consists of two bodies of buildings connected by a wall of enclosure, with a fortified porch marked by a partially ruined scallop and a broken arch door with double chamfer.
The defensive elements of the castle, such as the fortified gate and the remains of the outer crown, testify to its past strategic role. The facades retain a variety of holes, ranging from the Gothic style to more recent openings, reflecting architectural changes between the Middle Ages and the modern era. The porch, inscribed in the historical monuments in 1980, is one of the few protected remains of this period, with the parts of the 15th and 16th centuries still visible.
The site dominates the Bouble valley, a tributary of the Sioule, and is part of a landscape marked by the feudal history of Bourbonnais. Although partially in ruins, the castle illustrates the evolution of local fortifications, from a purely defensive vocation to a seigneurial residence adapted to modern times. Its inscription in the title of historical monuments underlines its heritage importance in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
