Château de Pruines
Encyclopedia
The Château de Pruines is a castle
in the French commune
of Pruines
in the Aveyron
département.
The castle dates from the 15th century. Built in local red sandstone
it consists of several parts: a main building, a tower and a stable. In the 16th century, interior work was undertaken to make the castle more comfortable. The ceiling, dating from the 17th century, has very colourful paintwork and sculpture.
The castle was the property of the Arjac-Solages family in the 15th century, then the Bancalis in the 17th century. It was sold to the town and became the mairie and a public school until 1964.
Between 1974 and 1999 it was renovated by a private owner who made it into an auberge de jeunesse (youth hostel) and organised craft courses. Today, privately-owned, the castle has been restored and furnished in period style; the kitchen includes a collection of ancient pottery and magnificent copper utensils. The Château de Pruines is one of a group of 23 castles in Aveyron who have joined together to provide a tourist itinerary as La Route des Seigneurs du Rouergue.
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...
in the French commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Pruines
Pruines
Pruines is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France.The Château de Pruines is a castle dating back to the 15th century, much modified over the centuries.-Population:...
in the Aveyron
Aveyron
Aveyron is a département in southern France named after the Aveyron River.- History :Aveyron is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790....
département.
The castle dates from the 15th century. Built in local red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
it consists of several parts: a main building, a tower and a stable. In the 16th century, interior work was undertaken to make the castle more comfortable. The ceiling, dating from the 17th century, has very colourful paintwork and sculpture.
The castle was the property of the Arjac-Solages family in the 15th century, then the Bancalis in the 17th century. It was sold to the town and became the mairie and a public school until 1964.
Between 1974 and 1999 it was renovated by a private owner who made it into an auberge de jeunesse (youth hostel) and organised craft courses. Today, privately-owned, the castle has been restored and furnished in period style; the kitchen includes a collection of ancient pottery and magnificent copper utensils. The Château de Pruines is one of a group of 23 castles in Aveyron who have joined together to provide a tourist itinerary as La Route des Seigneurs du Rouergue.
See also
- Pruines French Wikipedia article on town
- List of castles in France
External links
- Château de Pruines on l'Aveyron département website
- Route des Seigneurs du Rouergue website, with photos
Sources
- MAZARS, Jacky & ROLLAND, François Pruines et Prunols, l'histoire d'un village du Rouergue à travers les siècles l'Association des Amis de Pruines