Construction authorization 20 mai 1354 (≈ 1354)
Edward III allowed Pierre Amanieu de Moissac to build the strong house.
1500
Foundation of the Chapter
Foundation of the Chapter 1500 (≈ 1500)
Michel de Chassaigne created the chapter of Génissac.
1978-1988
Historic Monument Protections
Historic Monument Protections 1978-1988 (≈ 1983)
Several elements of the castle are inscribed.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs of the round tower and square tower; vaulted hall of the dungeon (Box AN 140): inscription by order of 9 July 1978; Chapel: Span of choir remaining, with its arch of warheads. Remnants of the south wall of the nave and land corresponding to the location of the two spans of the nave (excluding the posterior buildings adjacent to the bedside of the building) (Box AN 144): inscription by order of 22 December 1987; Interior of the southwest tower and extension of protection to the interior floors of the dungeon (the ground floor is already protected). Facades and roofs of the northeast tower. West Courtine (relationing the round tower South-West to the dungeon) and its entrance chestnut (façades and roofs). Façades and roofs on the courtyard side of the house in square of the 16s, including its former polygonal staircase tower (Box AN 140): inscription by decree of 16 March 1988
Key figures
Édouard III d'Angleterre - King of England
Authorized construction in 1354.
Pierre Amanieu de Moissac - Lord and builder
Build the original strong house.
Michel de Chassaigne - Lord of Genissac
Founded the chapter in 1500.
Origin and history
The Old Château de Génissac found its origins in the 14th century, when Édouard III of England authorized Pierre Amanieu de Moissac on 20 May 1354 to build a strong house on this site. This first building, designed to house a garrison, marked the beginning of a quadrilateral fortress, flanked by three round towers and a square dungeon. Defensive elements, such as the courtes with a round path and the vaulted dungeon hall (dating from the 3rd quarter of the 14th century), testify to its strategic role during the Hundred Years War.
At the end of the 15th century, the seigneury passed into the hands of Michel de Chassaigne, who founded the chapter of Génissac in 1500. This initiative, motivated by the prayer for the health of his brother, Abbé de la Sauve-Majeure, gave birth to a chapel today partially preserved. The castle underwent architectural changes, such as the addition of buildings in the 18th century on its northern face, but also suffered destruction: a corner tower was demolished during the Revolution, and the site was then abandoned.
The current remains reveal a defensive organization typical of medieval fortresses: a central well, a vaulted underground hall, and an underground evacuation. Several elements were protected under the Historical Monuments between 1978 and 1988, including the tower facades, the vaulted dungeon hall, and the remains of the chapel. Today, the castle bears witness to the architectural and political transformations of the Gironde, between the Middle Ages and the modern era.
