Presbytère de Saint-Cyprien
MonumentHidden Treasure
Presbytère 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
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Saint-Cyprien, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 44.8698, 1.0430
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00082825
A former noble dwelling converted into a presbytery, this 16th-century residence in Saint-Cyprien conceals two corner windows with pilasters of rare elegance, enhanced by an 18th-century wrought-iron banister.
History
In the heart of Saint-Cyprien, a Périgord village nestling in the Dordogne valley, stands a discreet building that holds many secrets. This presbytery - whose origins probably date back to an ancient noble house from the first half of the 16th century - is a sober and dignified example of Renaissance domestic architecture in the Périgord Noir. What distinguishes this building at first glance are its two pilastered corner windows, adorned with a moulded stringcourse running the length of the façade. These decorative features, typical of the early 16th century, betray the influence of the Italian Renaissance already evident in the royal buildings of the Loire region, but here in a more intimate style, typical of the middle-class homes of Périgord. On the adjacent lane, a terrace provides a welcome breathing space, bordered by a remarkably light eighteenth-century wrought iron railing. This detail, added more than a century after the main building was built, illustrates the continuity of maintenance and embellishment that the house has received over the generations. The building stands in an unspoilt village setting, just a stone's throw from the abbey church of Saint-Cyprien, one of the most imposing in the Périgord. The attentive visitor will appreciate this building as a precious fragment of local history, revealing the way in which the provincial aristocracy lived in and decorated their homes at the dawn of modern times. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1965, the presbytery of Saint-Cyprien enjoys well-deserved protection, guaranteeing the preservation of its most remarkable architectural features for future generations.
Architecture
The architecture of the presbytery at Saint-Cyprien reflects the provincial Renaissance style typical of the Périgord region in the early 16th century. The main facade has the sobriety characteristic of the region's noble residences, built of golden limestone ashlar, a material emblematic of Périgord buildings, which lends the whole a warmth and chromatic homogeneity that are highly appreciated. The most remarkable feature is undoubtedly the pair of pilastered corner windows, framed by a continuous moulded entablature. These windows perfectly illustrate the transition between the late flamboyant Gothic style and the new Renaissance language: the flat pilaster, borrowed from the classical vocabulary, replaces the prismatic medieval mouldings, while the moulding of the entablature reflects a precise knowledge of the ancient orders. This balance between regional tradition and Italianate modernity is characteristic of Périgord architecture in the first half of the 16th century. The terrace overlooking the laneway is a second point of architectural interest, notably for its 18th-century wrought iron railing. The scrolls and foliage that adorn it testify to the vitality of ironwork in Périgord during the classical period. This late addition does not break the harmony of the whole, but rather adds another chronological layer, making this residence a composite witness to several centuries of architectural history.
Related Figures
Propriétaire noble inconnu du début du XVIe siècle — commanditaire présumé de la demeure et de ses fenêtres renaissantesArtisan ferronnier périgourdin du XVIIIe siècle — auteur de la rampe en ferronnerie de la terrasseCuré de Saint-Cyprien (XVIIIe-XIXe siècle) — premier occupant ecclésiastique ayant transformé la maison noble en presbytèreInspecteur des Monuments Historiques (1965) — signataire de l'arrêté d'inscription protégeant l'édifice
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Presbytère de Saint-Cyprien located?
Presbytère de Saint-Cyprien is located in Saint-Cyprien, Dordogne department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, France.
When was Presbytère de Saint-Cyprien built?
Presbytère de Saint-Cyprien dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Presbytère de Saint-Cyprien open to visitors?
Presbytère de Saint-Cyprien is currently closed to visitors.
