The German castle in Provence seems to come straight out of another world very different from the Provençal nature.
Everything is typical of Northern Europe, a dungeon of impregnable appearance with powerful crenellations, sharp and sharp angles avoiding the cannonballs, high mullioned windows and threatening griffins as gargoyles...
And yet, during the guided tour of this still inhabited castle, one can better perceive its deep Provençal roots.
If the massive keep dates from the 12th century, one wing of the castle is from the Renaissance period.
The Château d'Allemagne-en-Provence remains one of the rare and most representative examples of the Louis XII style.
Originally built by the de Castellane family (1218-1718), the Château d'Allemagne-en-Provence was the home of the de Varages family (1718-1839), then that of the Ripert-Montclar family (1839-1936), and nowadays the Château is inhabited by the Himmel family.
During your visit your guide will explain the origin of the name "Germany", the various battles and sieges suffered by the Castle over the centuries, the plots and tragic duels that took place there, as well as how the Castle survived the French Revolution of 1789.
Castle, gardens and ceramics...
"Inside, a remarkable spiral staircase of more than 100 steps links the keep to the Renaissance wing. On the first floor, a sumptuous monumental gypsum fireplace from 1546, supported by two full-length statues, adorns one of the castle's ceremonial rooms. Visitors will be able to admire all the architectural details (French ceilings, mullioned windows, machicolations, griffins and gargoyles, etc.) and discover the imprints of the great centuries that have marked the history of the castle.
The gardens of the German Castle, which are listed as a historical monument along with the building, are also worth a long visit, especially in the spring.
A unique collection of ceramics from Monaco, grouped by era and workshop, is on display during the visit to the castle.
From the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 1960s, dozens of workshops created very richly colored ceramics on the Côte d'Azur, particularly in Monaco and Vallauris (where they were already being produced in Roman times, but mainly utilitarian pottery).
More than a hundred pieces, among the most representative, are exhibited, scattered in the different rooms and displayed in showcases in the ceremonial room.
German Castle in Provence
04500 Germany in Provence
Phone : 04.92.77.46.78
contact@chateaudallemagneprovence.com
http://chateaudallemagneprovence.com
