The Palais des ducs d’Aquitaine of Poitiers !!

Posted in Europe, France

So here I continue with my latest live visit to wonderful old Poitiers. As said was here many years ago, and now back, it seems better this time around. We were all over walking, and two spots connected I like to tell you about the Palais des ducs d’Aquitaine of Poitiers !!  Hope you enjoy the post as I

Throughout his lordship, the duke Jean of Berry never ceased to invest in building sites intended to mark the appearance of the city. Among these, major works were launched in the former Palace of the Dukes, shortly after the start of the renewal of the castle.  The Palace of the Counts of Poitiers is the former Ducal Palace of Aquitaine. It is a medieval testimony to the architectural style of Angevin Gothic.

A bit of history I like tell us that the kingdom of Aquitaine had been reconstituted by Charlemagne for his son Louis the Pious. A palace was built for him in the 9C straddling the Roman wall dating from the end of the 3C, on the highest point of the city. King Louis stayed there several times, and returned there once he became emperor, in 839 and 840. It was then the seat of the Counts of Poitiers. This first state of the palace completely disappeared in a fire in 1018. It was rebuilt by the counts-dukes of Aquitaine, then at the height of their power. Count William IX added a keep to it around 1104, on the town side, called the Maubergeon tower in homage to his mistress.

Poitiers palais de ducs aquitaine de justice now front oct21

From 1192 to 1204, Aliénor d’Aquitaine had the Great Hall built, which replaced an older one. Without a particular name at the time, this room was probably the largest of the time (50 × 17 meters) in Europe, The walls of the room are decorated with blind arches supported by fine columns, with a different organization according to the wall. The walls were plastered and painted in the 19C with patterns imitating stone. A stone bench goes around the room. This is the current salle des pas perdus. It was already in this room that the counts-dukes sometimes rendered justice. After the attachment of Poitou to the royal domain, the salle des pas perdus became the room of the King, where the justice of the king was exercised,

The palace of the dukes and counts became the seat of the court of appeal of Poitiers from the French revolution, which thus perpetuated its function of Ancien Régime (monarchy). In 1852, the court of first instance was housed in this wing. It was also in the 19C that the private apartments built in the 14C were demolished to make way for the court of appeal and the registry. In 2019, the tribunal and the court of appeal move to a new judicial complex. On January 1, 2020, it officially becomes the property of the city of Poitiers and hosts an artistic and cultural event combining heritage and contemporary art: Traversées. Since July 2020 it has been open for free visits all week long and various events (conferences, shows, etc.) take place there regularly. Pending what to do next with it, Here as an anecdote the scene from the movie film Jeanne d’Arc was filmed here by Luc Besson.

Poitiers palais de ducs aquitaine de justice now oct21

Founded in the 11-12C, the Tour Maubergeon (see post) tower is characterized by a square structure with circular towers at four angles. The set with the four round towers is the old keep of the Palace of the Counts of Poitou. William IX of Aquitaine, poet known as the Troubadour, rebuilt it after a fire in 1018. The count gave it the name of his mistress Mauberge, whom he abducted from her husband’s castle. The Duke of Berry fitted out the keep in the fashion of the time around 1400 during a truce during the Hundred Years War with the piercing of Gothic windows and the addition of sculptures representing the Duke’s vassals. He did not complete the site, hence the level appearance of the building.

 

 

The Poitiers tourist office on the palace: https://visitpoitiers.fr/en/activite/palais-des-ducs/

The Nouvelle Aquitaine region tourist board on Poitiers: https://www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com/en/poitiers-futuroscope/poitiers-a-journey-through-time

There you go folks a dandy city of Poitiers and its emblematic monument not to be missed. The palace of the Counts/Dukes of Aquitaine is sublime. Again, hope you enjoy the historical architecture introduction on the Palais des ducs d’Aquitaine of Poitiers !!  as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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