Anjony Castle

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Anjony Castle
Anjony Castle

Anjony Castle

Alternative name (s): Château d'Anjony
Creation time : 1430
Castle type : Hilltop castle
Conservation status: Received or received substantial parts
Standing position : Nobles
Construction: House stones
Place: Tournemire
Geographical location 45 ° 3 '16 "  N , 2 ° 28' 49"  E Coordinates: 45 ° 3 '16 "  N , 2 ° 28' 49"  E
Anjony Castle (Cantal)
Anjony Castle

The castle Anjony , French: Château d'Anjony , is a well-preserved hilltop castle , 15 kilometers north of Aurillac in the field of Auvergnat community Tournemire in French Cantal . It stands east of Départementstrasse 922 in the Doire Valley and can be visited.

description

The castle consists of four round towers almost 40 meters high , which frame a slightly lower, square residential tower . A rich interior, remarkable frescoes from the 16th century and furniture from different epochs await the visitor . You can also visit the "Dame d'Anjony", a gold-plated black Madonna in the chapel of the south-west tower. On the wall of the fireplace room there are paintings by Michel I and his wife Germaine. This room illustrates the way of life of the noble family. One of the towers contains a chapel on the first floor with wall paintings depicting episodes of the Bible. The 16th century artists were wandering Italian painters. The Heldensaal (Salle des Preux) is adorned with frescoes depicting Alexander the Great , Caesar and Charlemagne in unusual Renaissance clothing.

Another wing of the building was added in the 18th century under Field Marshal Claude d'Anjony.

history

Louis d'Anjony had the castle built on behalf of King Charles VII to represent the royal power and to protect the surrounding area from 1437-1440. He had solemnly escorted the king to Paris after the Hundred Years War against England. The building material was red basalt . The complex experienced a troubled period well into the 16th century, marked by a feud between the families of Anjony and Tournemire, who were rivals in the immediate vicinity. Rigaud de Tournemire was annoyed that the new castle was higher than his. The dispute over this lasted almost 200 years. In 1465 the quarrel between the Anjony and Tournemire families came to a head, when Madame de'Anjony's employees were molested and the family's pews were damaged. Then an illegitimate son of Prince Tournemire insulted Louis d'Anjony's steward. As a result, there was a duel in which the steward killed his opponent and was shortly thereafter murdered by members of the Tournemire family.

In 1523 one of Louis d'Anjony's sons was murdered by Jean de Tournemire. Since the murdered man was a clergyman, he was buried in the church, but two months later he was dug up again by Tournemire people and thrown in front of the castle gate, where he was eaten by stray dogs.

After that, the fighting between the families continued for 100 years. In 1590 they agreed on a contract for "equal honor" for both families. Meanwhile the everyday quarrel went on. On June 21, 1623 a public contest should bring the decision. This time the Tournemire family won and was ready to settle the ongoing dispute. Twenty years later, the love between Michel II. D'Anjony and Gabrielle Tournemire led to the final end of the rivalries. They married.

After the French Revolution of 1789, Claude d'Anjony emigrated. In 1792 his wife and daughters had to vacate the castle. They fled to Lyon . They were eventually held prisoner in Paris . The family later got the castle back, which is still owned by the family today.

literature

  • Bettina Forst: Auvergne, Cevennes, Massif central. 2nd Edition. Reise Know-how-Verlag, Bielefeld 2007, page 269 (wrong there: Anjouy).

Web links

Commons : Burg Anjony  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files