POITIERS PALACE
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Exhibitions are held in this palace steeped in history, one of the most remarkable examples of medieval civil architecture in France.
Considered a masterpiece of medieval art, this palace was built for Louis the Pious on the highest point of the city in the 9th century. Charlemagne's son stayed here several times, and later the Counts of Poitiers adopted it as their residence. In 1018, however, it was destroyed by fire and rebuilt by the Counts and Dukes of Aquitaine. Count Guillaume IX added a keep, the Maubergeon tower, and Eleanor of Aquitaine had the great hall built to house her court. It was one of the largest in Europe at the time, circa 1200. Unfortunately, the palace suffered another fire in 1346. Duke Jean I de Berry rebuilt the destroyed part of the palace, and three monumental fireplaces were added to the great hall. The "Belle cheminée de Poitiers" is one of the earliest examples of the flamboyant style. The chestnut roof frame was built in 1862 by marine carpenters from La Rochelle. This great hall was a place of power and justice for many centuries. After the Revolution, the palace became the seat of the Poitiers Court of Appeal. Little by little, the courts took up residence in the building, with the great hall becoming the Salle des Pas Perdus. It wasn't until 2019 that the city became the owner of the building. Little by little, the palace returned to its inhabitants, becoming a place for exhibitions, artistic projects, cultural events, entertainment and life.
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Si cela vous intéresse, profitez de votre visite pour assister à un procès. C'est intéressant de voir comment fonctionne notre justice.
Aliénor d’Aquitaine, héritière du duché, y habite avec ses deux époux successifs, Louis VII, roi de France puis Henri II, roi d’Angleterre. C’est elle qui fait aménager de 1192 à 1204, la Grande Salle (parfois désignée par son nom latin, aula) qui en remplace une autre plus ancienne dans le but de servir de cour de justice et de salle d’apparat pour les grands événements.
Depuis la Révolution et jusqu’en 2019, le lieu est transformé en Palais de Justice. Ce dernier déménage en mars 2019 et après fermeture et rénovation, le Palais des Comtes devient un lieu d’exposition pour la ville de Poitiers. Malheureusement, la Grande Salle était fermée pour rénovation lors de notre passage.