Perched on a hill, Brigueuil, surrounded by hedges, shelters a fortified city of the 12th century.
The origin of the village is very old as evidenced by two places of protohistoric settlement and the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa in Bussiéreix.
After the East Gate, built in the Middle Ages, a small paved street leads to the Saint-Martial church, built in the 12th century, in Romanesque style and its superb Gothic portal, which contains the lying of Marguerite de Chabot who died in 1503.
Behind the church is the castle with its outer enclosure, its ditches reduced to a vegetable garden, its tower covered with shingles and an old outbuilding, the "logis", an elegant house topped with a pepperbox and in its cemetery, its lantern of the dead.
This lantern of the dead dates from the 12th century and has been listed as a Historic Monument since 1932, as has a mausoleum also dating from the 12th century, located in a barn in the hamlet of La Boulomie, to the east of the village.
This mausoleum, of hexagonal plan and three meters high, similar to the one built in the monolithic church of Aubeterre, was dedicated to Saint-Georges.
Some elements of the Château de Brigueuil remain today. Indeed, the 11th century square keep, 41 metres high, partially collapsed in the 18th century. Only one floor out of seven remains, following the demolition of 1825. The bell tower was struck by lightning in 1844. Only the Renaissance portal with its molded and carved pilasters decorated with acanthus leaves, flowers and birds remains. The entire portal is made of pink granite.
It is also worth noting the presence of a menhir and two mounds southwest of the town on the northern slope of the Goire valley.
Among the other heritage elements of Brigueuil is a stone gate through part of the ramparts of the original city and a tower associated with the ramparts.
As you stroll through the streets of the village you will see some of the other interesting buildings, most of them built in local white-yellow stone and carefully renovated, such as the Judge's House.
Mairie de Brigueil
Place de la Liberté
16420 Brigueuil
Tél : 05 45 71 00 33
https://www.detours-en-limousin.com/Brigueuil
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
