Donjon of Pons
| Donjon of Pons | |
|---|---|
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| Creation time : | 1187 |
| Castle type : | Niederungsburg |
| Conservation status: | Received or received substantial parts |
| Standing position : | Vassals |
| Place: | Pons |
| Geographical location | 45 ° 34 '41.4 " N , 0 ° 32' 51.7" W |
The Donjon von Pons in the southwestern French town of Pons is a 30-meter-high medieval defense tower and - next to the Donjon von Niort - one of the most beautiful examples of a Romanesque donjon in western France . The building was classified as a monument historique in 1912 .
location
The donjon of the Niederungsburg stands on the edge of a limestone plateau above the valley of the Seugne ; Right next to it is the former Pons Castle , built in 1621 , which today houses the city administration.
Building history
The donjon was in 1187 by Gottfried III. (French: Geoffroy III.) built by Pons, a vassal of Richard the Lionheart . It replaced an 11th-century defense tower that was destroyed by Richard the Lionheart during the overthrow of a noble rebellion in Saintonge in 1179. The crenellated wreath with its corner turrets and the round arch frieze surrounding it are historicist ingredients from 1904, which were added by the then Prime Minister of France and former Mayor of Pons, Émile Combes , and the donjon of, which was destroyed in 1574 - but documented in a drawing Tonnay-Boutonne are modeled after.
architecture
The donjon has a rectangular floor plan with sides 26.45 × 15.25 meters and is about 33 meters high. Its outer walls, reinforced by a total of 16 buttresses, are between 2.50 and 4.40 meters thick. The ground floor of the three-storey tower served as a place of residence for the guards and as a warehouse for weapons, food, water supplies, wine, etc.
On the north side there is a - later added - polygonal stair tower with a stone spiral staircase ( vis ); originally this high entrance could only be reached via ladders or wooden stairs, which could be pulled in or destroyed in the event of attacks. This access was reserved exclusively for the family of the lord of the castle, their servants and high-ranking visitors and leads to the first floor, where the over 12 meter high and vaulted reception, representation and ballroom ( grande salle ) is located, the daylight obtained through large arched windows on the south side.
Access to the upper floor is via extremely narrow stone spiral staircases hidden in the wall; in the room lit by six small windows were the living and sleeping quarters of the lords of the castle, probably separated by wooden walls. From the roof of the tower you can enjoy beautiful views over the city, the valley of the Seugne and the surrounding landscape.
meaning
The Donjon of Pons is one of the most impressive and best-preserved buildings of its kind in France , along with the medieval residential towers of Niort , Loudun , Loches and Beaugency .
literature
- Thorsten Droste : Poitou. Western France between Poitiers and Angoulême - the Atlantic coast from the Loire to the Gironde. DuMont, Cologne 1999, ISBN 3-7701-4456-2 , p. 221.
- Philippe Floris (Red.): Châteaux, manoirs et logis. La Charente-Maritime. Editions Patrimoines et Médias, [Chauray] 1993, ISBN 2-910137-04-X .
- Philippe Prévôt: Guide des parcs et jardins de Charente-Maritime. Editions Sud-Ouest, Bordeaux 2003, ISBN 2-87901-497-2 .
Web links
- Pons, Donjon etc. - Photos + information (French)
- Pons, Donjon - Photos
- Pons, Donjon - Photos from Base Mémoire
Individual evidence
- ^ Donjon, Pons in the Base Mérimée of the French Ministry of Culture (French)