What is a maison-forte?

It is a small residential fortification characterized by a keep used as a dwelling, defended by a few towers and moats. It is intermediate between a manor house and a full castle. This model was common in Bourbonnais in the 15th century.

Who was Honoré Vianne?

An architect from Gannat, he designed the neo-Gothic extension of the castle in 1852 for Auguste Gaubert, adding a north wing with a polygonal tower.

Why were the defensive towers demolished?

During the French Revolution, the circular towers defending the castle were torn down, as were the eastern moats filled in, a fate that befell many castles of the period.

Château de La Motte-Mazerier

Motte-Mazerier Castle

Mazerier

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Where: Mazerier

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Open within 20 km

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Château de La Motte-Mazerier stands in Mazerier (Allier), in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 15th century, 19th century). The building is privately owned and no visits are on record.

The Château de La Motte-Mazerier was built in the 15th century in Bourbonnais with a rectangular keep and a circular staircase tower, following a defensive design typical of the region. Originally a 14th-century lordship, the building underwent major transformations in the 19th century when Auguste Gaubert commissioned architect Honoré Vianne to add a north wing in neo-Gothic style. Set within a wooded park surrounded by walls, with outbuildings arranged around a courtyard, the castle reflects its evolution from the Middle Ages to modern times.

What to know

The building underwent significant changes during the French Revolution, including the filling in of the eastern moats and the demolition of two defensive towers.
The original 15th-century construction has not been entirely replaced: the medieval keep and circular staircase remain beneath 19th-century modifications.
The neo-Gothic north wing, added in 1852, was the only part of Honoré Vianne's original plan that was completed.
The site encompasses the park, access drive, boundary walls and a range of outbuildings arranged around a courtyard.

Where this château is

Mazerier · Allier · Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Map of the area around Château de La Motte-Mazerier

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

03800 Mazerier

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Heritage status: Registered historic monument (inscrit); Mérimée record PA03000062
Period of construction: 15th century, 19th century

Frequently asked

What is a maison-forte?: It is a small residential fortification characterized by a keep used as a dwelling, defended by a few towers and moats. It is intermediate between a manor house and a full castle. This model was common in Bourbonnais in the 15th century.
Who was Honoré Vianne?: An architect from Gannat, he designed the neo-Gothic extension of the castle in 1852 for Auguste Gaubert, adding a north wing with a polygonal tower.
Why were the defensive towers demolished?: During the French Revolution, the circular towers defending the castle were torn down, as were the eastern moats filled in, a fate that befell many castles of the period.