ancien hôtel Saint-Astier
MonumentHidden Treasure
ancien hôtel Saint-Astier, located in Périgueux (Dordogne), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Périgueux, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 45.1846, 0.7221
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082737
In the heart of Périgueux, the Hôtel Saint-Astier houses a Renaissance staircase of rare elegance: superposed columns, rampant arches and sculpted coffers make up a masterpiece of stone that has been listed since 1923.
History
Tucked away in the dense urban fabric of old Périgueux, the former Hôtel Saint-Astier is one of those discreet jewels that the city on the Vézère knows so well how to keep secret. Built in the 16th century in the grand tradition of Périgourdine aristocratic residences, it is one of the many private mansions that marked the Renaissance in the south-west, at the crossroads of Italian influences from the Garonne and local building traditions. What really sets the Hôtel Saint-Astier apart in the region's heritage is its interior staircase: a remarkably sophisticated piece of Renaissance architecture, built around an irregularly shaped skylight. Far from the monumental staircase you'd expect to find in a royal chateau, this one unfurls its grace on three sides of an asymmetrical quadrilateral, making this very irregularity one of its most endearing features. The superimposed columns at the corners, topped with capitals that receive the spandrels of rampant arches, bear witness to a technical mastery and aesthetic sense worthy of the best workshops of the French Renaissance. The attentive visitor will look up to admire the underside of the landings: large stone slabs decorated with ribs and skilfully composed caissons form an ornamental ceiling of great finesse. The corbels that support the moulded entablature set into the walls are carved with coats of arms and a variety of decorative motifs, the silent signatures of the craftsmen and patrons of the time. Each detail speaks of a cultured patron, familiar with the Italian models disseminated by the architectural treatises of the time. To visit the Hôtel Saint-Astier is to immerse yourself in Renaissance Périgueux, a prosperous city where merchants, magistrates and lawyers vied with each other in the splendour of their urban homes. Just a stone's throw from Saint-Front cathedral and the medieval streets of the Puy-Saint-Front district, this monument invites you to take a closer look at the city as an architectural palimpsest, where each façade hides a story.
Architecture
The Hôtel Saint-Astier is in the tradition of Renaissance town houses in south-western France, characterised by a sober street façade and a more generous interior layout facing a courtyard. The materials used are those of the Périgord region: local limestone, a warm white that takes on golden hues in the summer sun, and which lends itself admirably to the fine carving of the decorative motifs. The staircase is undeniably the architectural and artistic heart of the building. Set in an irregular quadrilateral - a rare feature that gives it an almost picturesque character - the staircase has flights on three sides, with the fourth side forming a long landing leading to the flats. At the two ends of this landing, superimposed columns rise up from the corners, their capitals receiving the spandrels of the rampant arches and the curved bands. This arrangement, which is both structural and ornamental, bears witness to a strong architectural culture and a mastery of stereotomy (the art of cutting stone) worthy of the best workshops of the French Renaissance. The undersides of the landings, treated as real coffered ceilings adorned with ribbing, offer an unusual sight for this type of urban staircase. The corbels sculpted with coats of arms and various ornaments that support the moulded entablature set into the walls add a heraldic and decorative dimension that is invaluable to the history of the families who occupied the premises.
Related Figures
Famille Saint-Astier — lignage noble périgourdin, commanditaires présumés de l'hôtel au XVIe siècleArtisans et tailleurs de pierre périgourdins du XVIe siècle — auteurs anonymes de l'escalier RenaissanceInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques des années 1920 — acteurs du classement de 1923
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is ancien hôtel Saint-Astier located?
ancien hôtel Saint-Astier is located in Périgueux, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was ancien hôtel Saint-Astier built?
ancien hôtel Saint-Astier dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is ancien hôtel Saint-Astier open to visitors?
ancien hôtel Saint-Astier is currently closed to visitors.