Château de Saint-Cyprien
CastleHidden Treasure
Château de Saint-Cyprien, located in Saint-Cyprien (Dordogne), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Saint-Cyprien, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8693, 1.0406
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082824
An elegant Louis XVI-style hotel in Saint-Cyprien, this Périgord château boasts a portico with Ionic columns and romantic grounds designed by Édouard André, one of the great landscape architects of the 19th century.
History
In the heart of the Périgord Noir, in Saint-Cyprien, the château is a refined example of French neoclassical architecture. Its façade, punctuated by a portico of four columns and two pilasters in the composite Ionic order, bears witness to the taste for antique order that characterised aristocratic residences at the end of the 18th century. The triangular pediment that crowns the whole gives the building a classical solemnity, tempered by the discreet elegance of its proportions. What really sets this château apart from its Périgord counterparts is the successful fusion of historic buildings and exceptional grounds. Designed at the very beginning of the 20th century by Édouard André, an internationally renowned landscape gardener - whose work includes the Parc de la Tête d'Or in Lyon - the garden unfurls its perspectives and plant compositions with a rare mastery. Although damaged by the storms of December 1999, the park retains its original character and landscape structure. The building stands on two successive terraces accessed by wide flights of steps, offering visitors a gradual, theatrical approach. This architectural staging accentuates the majesty of the main façade and provides superb views of the surrounding parkland. The angled wing added in the 19th century harmoniously completes the original main building without altering its appearance. For lovers of built heritage and landscape art alike, this château is an ideal stop-off point during your stay in Périgord. Its double listing as a Historic Monument - in 1949 and confirmed in 2002 - testifies to its recognised heritage value and guarantees the longevity of this discreet jewel of south-western France.
Architecture
The Château de Saint-Cyprien is an elegant example of the Louis XVI neoclassical style, characterised by rigorous composition, references to Greco-Roman antiquity and sober ornamentation. The main façade is organised around a central portico composed of four columns and two pilasters in the composite Ionic order - a skilful synthesis of Ionic slenderness and Corinthian richness - which frames the main entrance. Above, a window repeats the same columned vocabulary, before being crowned by a Greek frieze and triangular pediment, a direct reference to ancient temples. This vertical stacking of architectural registers gives the façade a dynamic verticality and immediate legibility. The building rests on a base of two successive terraces, accessed by steps that give it a solid foundation and a monumental presence in the landscape. The angled wing added in the 19th century creates an L-shaped floor plan typical of large French rural residences, linking the performance spaces and domestic areas. The building materials, probably local limestone typical of the Périgord region, help to integrate the building harmoniously into its regional surroundings. The park designed by Édouard André is an architectural extension of the château in its own right. True to his signature style, André undoubtedly developed an Anglo-French garden here: curved paths, unobstructed views over the surrounding landscape, varied planting of native and exotic species, and fluid transitions between the manicured areas and the wilder countryside. The whole forms a subtle dialogue between the ordered architecture of the residence and the apparent freedom of the plants.
Related Figures
Édouard André — paysagiste (1840-1911), concepteur du parc au début du XXe sièclePropriétaires anonymes du XVIIIe siècle — commanditaires de la demeure néoclassiqueFamille propriétaire du XIXe siècle — commanditaires de l'aile en équerre
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château de Saint-Cyprien located?
Château de Saint-Cyprien is located in Saint-Cyprien, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Château de Saint-Cyprien built?
Château de Saint-Cyprien dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Château de Saint-Cyprien open to visitors?
Château de Saint-Cyprien is currently closed to visitors.