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Château de Rochechouart today

France · Restored

Château de Rochechouart

Château de Rochechouart is a medieval castle on a hill at the confluence of the Grêne and Vayres rivers in Rochechouart, Haute-Vienne, France. Built in the thirteenth century and altered in the Renaissance, it served as the seat of the Viscounts of Rochechouart for centuries and today houses a subprefecture and a museum of contemporary art; it is listed as a monument historique.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

Its prime

1550

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1550

What Château de Rochechouart looked like in its prime.

A long rectangular stone corps de logis sits between two massive cylindrical towers with high conical slate roofs and fleur-de-lis finials; the main façade shows a central arched entrance set into the slope, rows of small rectangular windows and a steep slate roof pierced by closely spaced triangular dormer windows. The stone is coarse brown-grey masonry; a corbelled machicolation band runs below the roofline. The castle tops a grassy wooded terrace above a retaining wall.

Its story

The story of Château de Rochechouart.

The Château de Rochechouart stands above the confluence of the Grêne and Vayres rivers in the Haute-Vienne. Built in the thirteenth century and altered in the Renaissance, it served for centuries as the seat of the Viscounts of Rochechouart, a dynasty whose ancestor, Aymeric I, lived around 990.

The family held on into the modern age: General-Count Louis-Victor-Léon de Rochechouart fought in the Napoleonic Wars, and it was his son, Louis-Jules de Rochechouart, who sold the castle to the general council of the Haute-Vienne in 1936. The Rochechouart dynasty continues in his lineage today, while the castle, a listed monument historique, houses a subprefecture and a museum of contemporary art.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1550.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Château de Rochechouart, including 4 interiors: keep (donjon) interior chamber, hunting room with multicoloured frescoes, hercules room with grisaille murals and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Exterior approach from the river confluenceClose frontal view of the façade and towersEntry châtelet and arched portalMain courtyard with gallery and twisted columnsKeep (donjon) interior chamberHunting Room with multicoloured frescoesHercules Room with grisaille muralsEast tower chamber (historic lion's chamber)

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Whose castle

Clans who held Château de Rochechouart.

The families that held Château de Rochechouart for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Rochechouart

    Seat of the Viscounts of Rochechouart for centuries, from the dynasty of Aymeric I (c. 990) until Louis-Jules de Rochechouart sold it in 1936.

Questions about Château de Rochechouart

What is the history of Château de Rochechouart?

Château de Rochechouart was built as a fortified seat for the Viscounts of Rochechouart. The existing castle was raised in the medieval period and later rebuilt in the French Renaissance style. It served as the dynasty’s seat for centuries, housed a prison in 1793, and now contains a museum of contemporary art.

What is inside Château de Rochechouart?

Inside Château de Rochechouart are the Hunting Room, with multicoloured frescoes from the beginning of the sixteenth century, and the Hercules Room, with grisaille murals from the mid-sixteenth century. The main courtyard has a gallery supported by twisted columns. The castle also houses the museum of contemporary art of Haute-Vienne.

Why was Château de Rochechouart built, and what was it used for?

Château de Rochechouart was built as a fortified stronghold and the seat of the Viscounts of Rochechouart. Its position above the confluence of the Grêne and Vayres rivers formed part of its defensive setting. Its use later changed: it housed a prison in 1793 and now contains a museum of contemporary art and a subprefecture building.

Where is Château de Rochechouart?

Château de Rochechouart is in Rochechouart, in the Haute-Vienne, above the confluence of the Grêne and Vayres rivers. The town lies in the historic Limousin area of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The castle stands at the top of the confluence within the commune of Rochechouart.

When was Château de Rochechouart built?

Château de Rochechouart was built in the twelfth or thirteenth century, with later phases from the fifteenth century and the Renaissance. The French-language account dates the keep to the twelfth century and says most of the building dates from the fifteenth century. The English-language account describes it as a thirteenth-century castle.

Which family or clan held Château de Rochechouart?

The Rochechouart family held Château de Rochechouart for centuries, from the dynasty of Aymeric I, who lived around 990, until Louis-Jules de Rochechouart sold it in 1936. The family served as the Viscounts of Rochechouart. The dynasty continues through Louis-Jules de Rochechouart’s lineage today.

What did Château de Rochechouart look like in its prime?

At its prime, Château de Rochechouart was a long rectangular stone building between two massive cylindrical towers. The towers have high conical slate roofs with fleur-de-lis finials, while the façade has a central arched entrance, small rectangular windows and closely spaced triangular dormers. Coarse brown-grey masonry and a corbelled machicolation band complete the exterior.

Is Château de Rochechouart still standing, or is it a ruin?

Château de Rochechouart is still standing and has been restored. The keep and the entry châtelet remain from the castle built by Aymeric VI, while the castle was rebuilt after the Hundred Years War and later restored in the Renaissance style. Its façades have undergone major restoration since 2015.

Can you visit Château de Rochechouart?

Yes, Château de Rochechouart can be visited as a museum and historic castle. Since 1985 it has housed the museum of contemporary art of Haute-Vienne, and visitors can see the Hunting Room, the Hercules Room and the gallery in the main courtyard. It is also listed as a monument historique.

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