Château de Germolles
Encyclopedia
The château is situated in Burgundy, not far from Beaune
and Chalon-sur-Saône
. It is the best preserved residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. Built during the second part of the 14th century, this château is important for the history of the region. Furthermore it is a rare example of such a well preserved residence in France in the 14th and the beginning of the 15th centuries, when most of the princely palaces of that period have almost entirely disappeared. This exceptional site evokes court life in France on the eve of the Renaissance
.
It has been listed as a Historic monument since 1989.
built by the local feudal lords of the manor: the seigneurs of Germolles. In the 2nd half of the 14th century, their financial situation was so critical that they had to sell the domain of Germolles which was purchased by the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold
.
We know very little about the appearance of the fortress of the lords of Germolles. It certainly had large towers and solid walls with only a few windows. All that remains of the original building are the lower chapel and the wine cellar.
in France after the Capetian dynasty
came to an end, purchased the domain of Germolles. After one year he gave it to his wife, the duchess Margaret of Flanders. Important and expensive transformations were immediately undertaken. They lasted for the next ten years.
The aim of the duchess was to transform the austere and archaic fortress of the 13th century into a country estate. In order to achieve this, she enlisted the help of artists working in the service of the ducal couple: the architect Drouet de Dammartin, the sculptors Jean de Marville and Claus Sluter
and the painter Jean de Beaumetz
. These artists worked at the same time on another important project of the Duke: the chartreuse de Champmol.
The residence was slowly transformed into a sumptuous country estate. The large rectangular building, surrounded by a moat
enclosed a courtyard. The apartments were situated in the south and east wings while the west wing contained receptions rooms and the north wing was for the guards and security staff.
The duchess of Burgundy, energetic and a country lover, decided to develop at Germolles some rustic activities that would create a pleasant environment around her favourite residence, as well as developing local agriculture and providing some income for the maintenance of the domain. So she planted a large rose garden
and the petals were sent to Flanders
to be used to make rose water. Similarly a model sheepfold was built that reflected not only the duchess’s interest in sheep but also the important contribution of that animal, through its wool, to the fortune of Flanders, in Burgundy.
The King Charles VI of France
was received at Germolles on the 12th of February 1389, at the invitation of his aunt and uncle.
Used by various families courtesy of the King until the end of the 18th century, the château was sold to the Nation after the French Revolution
. Different kinds of destruction, voluntary or accidental, due in particular to the lack of maintenance, led to the loss of certain parts of the building. The château was purchased at the end of the 19th century by the same family who still own it. Today it is open to visitors throughout most of the year, and a programme of cultural events takes place annually.
used for the storage of wine and food has conserved its medieval appearance with modern gothic next to traditional Burgundian romanesque elements. The lower chapel
has similar architecture but has sculptured decoration with both romanesque reliefs and gothic foliage.
The two towers at the entrance to the château certainly date from the original building but were reused and reinforced in the 14th century. Even if during the ducal period the château was no longer a fortress, the importance of the rulers of the place required the presence of an escort confined to the châtelet
comprising the towers and the guard
room.
The reception room above the cellar was used in the 14th century to receive important guests. It was destroyed by a fire at the beginning of the 19th century but the remains indicate its original size. The south wall of the room was decorated with a monumental fireplace on top of which was a gallery
for the musicians. The remains of this fireplace were removed in the 20th century to the great hall of the present château. It is adorned with capitals from the workshop of Claus Sluter
representing a scene of Chrétien de Troyes
’s novel, Yvain, the Knight with the Lion.
The reception room above the cellar was used in the 14th century to receive important guests. It was destroyed by a fire at the beginning of the 19th century but the remains indicate its original size. The south wall of the room was decorated with a monumental fireplace on top of which was a gallery
for the musicians. The remains of this fireplace were removed in the 20th century to the great hall of the present château. It is adorned with capitals from the workshop of Claus Sluter
representing a scene of Chrétien de Troyes
’s novel, Yvain, the Knight with the Lion.
Today archaeological discoveries made in the château are displayed in the reception room. The château still possesses of a large collection of medieval floor tiles that decorated the floors of the 1st and 2nd floors of the ducal residence. Made of enamelled terracotta, they are decorated with motifs such as daisies, lions that are the symbols of the rulers of the place as well as roses, thistles, sheep, suns, fleur-de-lis etc...
and a private and comfortable oratory with its own fireplace. It was reserved for the devotions of the princess.
At the end of the 19th century a fire destroyed this exquisite part of the building which was then exposed to the elements. In 2009-2010, restoration work under the supervision and with the financial support of the government and the Department of Saône-et-Loire, was carried out to restore the roof and top part of the turret and recreate the sense of the space of the nave with a modern protection.
In one of the kitchens on the ground floor, the large gothic fireplace still in its original position evokes the activities of the place. Gothic Revival architecture wall paintings with rose motifs were revealed during recent restoration work carried out in at the beginning of the 20th century.
On the first floor, the dressing room of Margaret of Bavaria
(daughter in-law of the ducal couple and future duchess of Burgundy), still possesses its murals that have been recently restored. These paintings by Jean de Beaumetz
and his assistant Armoult Picornet are very rare examples of princely wall paintings in France at the end of the Middle Ages. The motifs P and M, initials of the duke and the duchess, cover the walls, along with thistles, a noble flower with sharp prickles which is the emblem of Margaret of Flanders. This decoration which extended to the floor (with floor tiles showing thistles) can be found as well in the adjoining room. Cleaning has revealed wall paintings similar to those in the dressing room. Other wall paintings with roses and daisies have been discovered in other apartments on the first floor.
The garret
or rooms under the timbers on the second floor were for the court
that accompanied the ducal couple. The ceiling built as an inverted hull of a ship was panelled and the walls were decorated with tapestries. One of these rooms, restored at the beginning of the 20th century is covered with copies of wall paintings from originals of the first floor.
at the end of the 19th century, the park has some charming spots with old and rare trees such as a Bald Cypress, a Tulip tree from Virginia, a gingko biloba, an araucaria
, and groups of lime trees.
Beaune
Beaune is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Cote d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Paris and Geneva.Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France and the annual wine auction of the Hospices de Beaune is the primary wine auction in France...
and Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
. It is the best preserved residence of the Dukes of Burgundy. Built during the second part of the 14th century, this château is important for the history of the region. Furthermore it is a rare example of such a well preserved residence in France in the 14th and the beginning of the 15th centuries, when most of the princely palaces of that period have almost entirely disappeared. This exceptional site evokes court life in France on the eve of the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
.
It has been listed as a Historic monument since 1989.
The origins : the stronghold of the seigneurs of Germolles
The site of Germolles was occupied from the 13th century by a strongholdFortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
built by the local feudal lords of the manor: the seigneurs of Germolles. In the 2nd half of the 14th century, their financial situation was so critical that they had to sell the domain of Germolles which was purchased by the Duke of Burgundy, Philip the Bold
Philip the Bold
Philip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
.
We know very little about the appearance of the fortress of the lords of Germolles. It certainly had large towers and solid walls with only a few windows. All that remains of the original building are the lower chapel and the wine cellar.
The country estate of Philip the Bold and Margaret of Flanders
In 1380 Philip the Bold, first Duke of Burgundy of the new royal Valois dynastyValois Dynasty
The House of Valois was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty, succeeding the House of Capet as kings of France from 1328 to 1589...
in France after the Capetian dynasty
Capetian dynasty
The Capetian dynasty , also known as the House of France, is the largest and oldest European royal house, consisting of the descendants of King Hugh Capet of France in the male line. Hugh Capet himself was a cognatic descendant of the Carolingians and the Merovingians, earlier rulers of France...
came to an end, purchased the domain of Germolles. After one year he gave it to his wife, the duchess Margaret of Flanders. Important and expensive transformations were immediately undertaken. They lasted for the next ten years.
The aim of the duchess was to transform the austere and archaic fortress of the 13th century into a country estate. In order to achieve this, she enlisted the help of artists working in the service of the ducal couple: the architect Drouet de Dammartin, the sculptors Jean de Marville and Claus Sluter
Claus Sluter
Claus Sluter was a sculptor of Dutch origin. He was the most important northern European sculptor of his age and is considered a pioneer of the "northern realism" of the Early Netherlandish painting that came into full flower with the work of Jan van Eyck and others in the next generation.Sluter...
and the painter Jean de Beaumetz
Jean de Beaumetz
Jean de Beaumetz is recorded to have been "painter and valet" to Philip the Hardy, for whom he painted numerous works, and decorated, among other chapels, that of the Castle of Argilli, in Burgundy. Some of his mural paintings are still preserved at château de Germolles. Jean de Beaumetz was...
. These artists worked at the same time on another important project of the Duke: the chartreuse de Champmol.
The residence was slowly transformed into a sumptuous country estate. The large rectangular building, surrounded by a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
enclosed a courtyard. The apartments were situated in the south and east wings while the west wing contained receptions rooms and the north wing was for the guards and security staff.
The duchess of Burgundy, energetic and a country lover, decided to develop at Germolles some rustic activities that would create a pleasant environment around her favourite residence, as well as developing local agriculture and providing some income for the maintenance of the domain. So she planted a large rose garden
Rose garden
A Rose garden or Rosarium is a garden or park, often open to the public, used to present and grow various types of garden roses. Designs vary tremendously and roses may be displayed alongside other plants or grouped by individual variety, colour or class in rose beds.-Origins of the rose...
and the petals were sent to Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
to be used to make rose water. Similarly a model sheepfold was built that reflected not only the duchess’s interest in sheep but also the important contribution of that animal, through its wool, to the fortune of Flanders, in Burgundy.
The King Charles VI of France
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
was received at Germolles on the 12th of February 1389, at the invitation of his aunt and uncle.
The château after the ducal period
After Philip the Bold and Margaret of Flanders, the château belonged to the following three Dukes of Burgundy : John the Fearless, Philip the Good and Charles the Bold. After the death of Charles the Bold in Nancy in 1477, the château became a possession of the King of France.Used by various families courtesy of the King until the end of the 18th century, the château was sold to the Nation after the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. Different kinds of destruction, voluntary or accidental, due in particular to the lack of maintenance, led to the loss of certain parts of the building. The château was purchased at the end of the 19th century by the same family who still own it. Today it is open to visitors throughout most of the year, and a programme of cultural events takes place annually.
The remains of the original fortress
Two elements date from the first period of Germolles (13th century). They are still conserved because they were integrated into the project of transformation in a ducal palace. The large wine cellarWine cellar
A wine cellar is a storage room for wine in bottles or barrels, or more rarely in carboys, amphorae or plastic containers. In an active wine cellar, important factors such as temperature and humidity are maintained by a climate control system. In contrast, passive wine cellars are not...
used for the storage of wine and food has conserved its medieval appearance with modern gothic next to traditional Burgundian romanesque elements. The lower chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
has similar architecture but has sculptured decoration with both romanesque reliefs and gothic foliage.
The two towers at the entrance to the château certainly date from the original building but were reused and reinforced in the 14th century. Even if during the ducal period the château was no longer a fortress, the importance of the rulers of the place required the presence of an escort confined to the châtelet
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
comprising the towers and the guard
Guard
-Professional occupations:* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street* Life guard, who rescues people from drowning* Prison guard, who supervises prisoners in a prison or jail...
room.
A sumptuous princely palace
The reception room above the cellar was used in the 14th century to receive important guests. It was destroyed by a fire at the beginning of the 19th century but the remains indicate its original size. The south wall of the room was decorated with a monumental fireplace on top of which was a gallery
Gallery
Gallery may refer to:* An art museum * A retail art shop * An exhibition room in a museum...
for the musicians. The remains of this fireplace were removed in the 20th century to the great hall of the present château. It is adorned with capitals from the workshop of Claus Sluter
Claus Sluter
Claus Sluter was a sculptor of Dutch origin. He was the most important northern European sculptor of his age and is considered a pioneer of the "northern realism" of the Early Netherlandish painting that came into full flower with the work of Jan van Eyck and others in the next generation.Sluter...
representing a scene of Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
’s novel, Yvain, the Knight with the Lion.
The reception room above the cellar was used in the 14th century to receive important guests. It was destroyed by a fire at the beginning of the 19th century but the remains indicate its original size. The south wall of the room was decorated with a monumental fireplace on top of which was a gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
for the musicians. The remains of this fireplace were removed in the 20th century to the great hall of the present château. It is adorned with capitals from the workshop of Claus Sluter
Claus Sluter
Claus Sluter was a sculptor of Dutch origin. He was the most important northern European sculptor of his age and is considered a pioneer of the "northern realism" of the Early Netherlandish painting that came into full flower with the work of Jan van Eyck and others in the next generation.Sluter...
representing a scene of Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
’s novel, Yvain, the Knight with the Lion.
Today archaeological discoveries made in the château are displayed in the reception room. The château still possesses of a large collection of medieval floor tiles that decorated the floors of the 1st and 2nd floors of the ducal residence. Made of enamelled terracotta, they are decorated with motifs such as daisies, lions that are the symbols of the rulers of the place as well as roses, thistles, sheep, suns, fleur-de-lis etc...
The ducal chapel
The duchess’s architect created, above the old lower chapel , a ducal chapel. This is composed of a nave, as well as a choir (architecture) installed in the elegant octagonal turret built as a bartizanBartizan
A bartizan or guerite is an overhanging, wall-mounted turret projecting from the walls of medieval fortifications from the early 14th century up to the 16th century. They protect a warder and enable him to see around him...
and a private and comfortable oratory with its own fireplace. It was reserved for the devotions of the princess.
At the end of the 19th century a fire destroyed this exquisite part of the building which was then exposed to the elements. In 2009-2010, restoration work under the supervision and with the financial support of the government and the Department of Saône-et-Loire, was carried out to restore the roof and top part of the turret and recreate the sense of the space of the nave with a modern protection.
The main building and the luxurious comfort of the court of Burgundy
Today the main building is separated from the rest of the château that surrounded the courtyard. It is certainly the most remarkable part of the château. It is particularly well preserved with elements showing the quality of the construction: large windows opening to the outside, turrets with internal spiral staircases cut in stone, gothic fireplaces... Its three floors are the architectural manifestation of the brilliant court of the duke and duchess: the ground floor was used for domestic activities, the first floor contained the ducal apartments and the second, the court apartments.In one of the kitchens on the ground floor, the large gothic fireplace still in its original position evokes the activities of the place. Gothic Revival architecture wall paintings with rose motifs were revealed during recent restoration work carried out in at the beginning of the 20th century.
On the first floor, the dressing room of Margaret of Bavaria
Margaret of Bavaria
Margaret of Bavaria, , was the fifth child of Albert, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing, Count of Hainault, Holland, and Zeeland and Lord of Friesia, and Margaret of Brieg. She was the regent of the Burgundian Low countries during the absence of her spouse in 1404–1419 and the regent in French Burgundy...
(daughter in-law of the ducal couple and future duchess of Burgundy), still possesses its murals that have been recently restored. These paintings by Jean de Beaumetz
Jean de Beaumetz
Jean de Beaumetz is recorded to have been "painter and valet" to Philip the Hardy, for whom he painted numerous works, and decorated, among other chapels, that of the Castle of Argilli, in Burgundy. Some of his mural paintings are still preserved at château de Germolles. Jean de Beaumetz was...
and his assistant Armoult Picornet are very rare examples of princely wall paintings in France at the end of the Middle Ages. The motifs P and M, initials of the duke and the duchess, cover the walls, along with thistles, a noble flower with sharp prickles which is the emblem of Margaret of Flanders. This decoration which extended to the floor (with floor tiles showing thistles) can be found as well in the adjoining room. Cleaning has revealed wall paintings similar to those in the dressing room. Other wall paintings with roses and daisies have been discovered in other apartments on the first floor.
The garret
Garret
A garret is generally synonymous in modern usage with a habitable attic or small living space at the top of a house. It entered Middle English via Old French with a military connotation of a watchtower or something akin to a garrison, in other words a place for guards or soldiers to be quartered...
or rooms under the timbers on the second floor were for the court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
that accompanied the ducal couple. The ceiling built as an inverted hull of a ship was panelled and the walls were decorated with tapestries. One of these rooms, restored at the beginning of the 20th century is covered with copies of wall paintings from originals of the first floor.
Gardens to accompany the ducal residence
The garden created by Margaret of Flanders and the large rose garden have disappeared. Transformed into a romantic English gardenEnglish garden
The English garden, also called English landscape park , is a style of Landscape garden which emerged in England in the early 18th century, and spread across Europe, replacing the more formal, symmetrical Garden à la française of the 17th century as the principal gardening style of Europe. The...
at the end of the 19th century, the park has some charming spots with old and rare trees such as a Bald Cypress, a Tulip tree from Virginia, a gingko biloba, an araucaria
Araucaria
Araucaria is a genus of evergreen coniferous trees in the family Araucariaceae. There are 19 extant species in the genus, with a highly disjunct distribution in New Caledonia , Norfolk Island, eastern Australia, New Guinea, Argentina, Chile, and southern Brazil.-Description:Araucaria are mainly...
, and groups of lime trees.
Some dates
- 1380: The dukeDukeA duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of BurgundyDuchy of BurgundyThe Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
, Philip the BoldPhilip the BoldPhilip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
, purchased Germolles for his wife, Margaret of Flanders; - 1382: beginning of the renovation and re-building of the residence. The work lasted fifteen years during which the château was transformed into a luxurious country estate;
- 1389: visit of King Charles VI of FranceCharles VI of FranceCharles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
; - 1393: Claus SluterClaus SluterClaus Sluter was a sculptor of Dutch origin. He was the most important northern European sculptor of his age and is considered a pioneer of the "northern realism" of the Early Netherlandish painting that came into full flower with the work of Jan van Eyck and others in the next generation.Sluter...
carved the famous group showing Philip the BoldPhilip the BoldPhilip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
and Margaret of Flanders ; the duke and the duchess are seated under an elm, surrounded by sheep; - 1399: a statue of the Virgin Mary was made by Claus SluterClaus SluterClaus Sluter was a sculptor of Dutch origin. He was the most important northern European sculptor of his age and is considered a pioneer of the "northern realism" of the Early Netherlandish painting that came into full flower with the work of Jan van Eyck and others in the next generation.Sluter...
and his workshop and placed at the entrance to the château; - 1466: restoration of the group made by Claus SluterClaus SluterClaus Sluter was a sculptor of Dutch origin. He was the most important northern European sculptor of his age and is considered a pioneer of the "northern realism" of the Early Netherlandish painting that came into full flower with the work of Jan van Eyck and others in the next generation.Sluter...
, protected against the elements; - 1873: fires destroyed parts of the château.