Château de Gratot

The Gratot Castle (French: Château de Gratot ) is a ruined castle in the commune of Gratot in the department of Manche of the french region Basse -Normandie. It is located about four kilometers northwest of the town of Coutances and approximately seven miles from the French coast.

History

The plant was built as a moated castle in the 13th century and rebuilt several times during the centuries of its history and expanded. Therefore shows a variety of architectural styles and is entirely surrounded by a moat.

Builder was the family of Argouges, barons of Gratot. She had large landholdings in the area of ​​today's departments of Manche, since 1230, among other things, the town of Granville. The Gratot was from 1251 to 1777 in the possession of the family.

In the 19th century, the plant experienced a series of owners who neglected them strong. Local farmers used the building as a barn and warehouse. At the beginning of the 20th century the castle was finally abandoned.

Restoration

1968, formed a private initiative, the heavily dilapidated buildings restored in recent decades in volunteer work. At that time, were the ground floor and the vaulted cellars extending under the entire core area of ​​the plant, filled with rubble. Only two towers from the 13th century were preserved. The walls were overgrown with climbing plants and the terrain difficult to access by shrub vegetation.

The most extensive building work was carried out in the seventies, when a number of buildings, including two of the towers were rebuilt and made ​​accessible. Illustrations from historical documents and 19th century paintings that show the castle as a romantic ruin, were used for reconstruction. The recent renovations focus on the gardens.

The financing was supported mainly by the French Ministry of Culture ( Ministère de la Culture ). The castle today is the Ministry of Culture as a historic monument ( Monument historique ) and archaeological site ( Site Archaeological ) out.

Structures

Main entrance

A bridge with three arches spans the moat and leads to the main entrance. The outbuildings which have been used primarily as a farm building, located close to the portal on both sides.

Main House The main residential building from the 15th century with a facade in the style of the 17th century had originally three floors and fifteen rooms. Its floor had skylights. The large windows of the ground floor are the result of demolition of the fortifications and the rebuilding of the castle into a palace in the 17th century.

Pavilion

The pavilion, the recent extension was built in the 18th century. The building to the north of the system has been fully restored and covered with a mansard roof. It is used for exhibitions and cultural events.

The tower of the Fee The tower of the fee was built in the 15th century and is supported by strong buttresses. Its base is octagonal. The first floor is occupied by a rectangular room and is complete with a pitched roof, whose eaves decorated with balustrades and gargoyles.

The name of the tower is based on a legend similar to the legend of Melusine. It is assumed that the family Argouges this saga joined for reasons of prestige with its own castle or was the legend of the declaration of an event in the history of the family.

Round Tower The round tower of the castle was built in the 15th century. A constriction in the entrance to the spiral staircase that prevented two attackers invaded simultaneously. The basement entrance is located at the foot of the tower. Under the Spire is a guardroom, on whose walls the remains of medieval murals are seen.

Another preserved corner tower from the 13th century is not accessible; his entrance was walled up.

Outbuilding The outbuildings were built in the late 16th century and used primarily as a farm building. The hall west of the main portal shows today on the ground floor, a permanent exhibition on the history of the castle and the restoration work. The upper floor serves as a cultural center, take place (painting, sculpture, photography) and theater performances in the changing exhibitions.