Château de Guilleragues

The Château de Guilleragues is a medieval, previously ruined but restored castle in the commune of Saint-Sulpice-de-Guilleragues in the Gironde département of France.

This early 14th century castle, built at the side of a small valley, consists of a long rectangular building, composed of a fortified house flanked by two towers and two watchtowers at either extremity of an annexe of the same height, from 1564. The lower court and the common buildings in the north east also date from the 16th century.^[1]

Chateau de Guilleragues (pronunciation: [geeyerahg]) was built in many stages and went through many changes in its 800 year old history. The oldest parts and foundations date back to the 12th century. Little is known about the earliest dates and status of the structure back then. More obvious are parts built in the 13th and 14th century.^{[citation needed]}

The building must have been two or three separate structures initially, which were joint at some point later. The best known occupants of the castle are the De Lavergne family, who owned the castle in the 16th and 17th century. In fact, a major change took place in the 1560s, where windows were enlarged and added, doors where enlarged and many decorative features were added, changing the castle from a fortified structure with defense as its main function to a livable, more luxurious stately home.^{[citation needed]}

In a large, intricate relief above the main entrance with columns, symbols and lions, the year '1564' is inscribed on the family coat of arms. This portal is listed separately in the historical monument (IMH) register. Displayed below is the coat of arms in detail, found elsewhere within the castle. It is the combination of Lavergne and Lestonnac arms.^{[citation needed]}

The residence belonged in the 17th century to Gabriel-Joseph de Lavergne, Vicomte de Guilleragues, a brilliant diplomat and author of the Les Lettres portugaises (En. Letters of a Portuguese Nun). Privately owned, it has been listed since 1954 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.^[2]

The castle has hidden treasures and "lost rooms". There have been multiple "ghost sightings".^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of castles in France

References

1. ^ Ministry of Culture listing
2. ^ Ministry of Culture listing

External links

• Official website
• Ministry of Culture listing for Château de Guilleragues (French)

Coordinates: 44°37′33″N 0°3′0″E / 44.62583°N 0.05°E / 44.62583; 0.05