The 14th-century episcopal castle of Saint-Izaire

The Château de Saint-Izaire is a 14th-century episcopal castle in the commune of Saint-Izaire in the Aveyron département of France. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1991 and is maintained by an association known as Vie et Château. This group has created a mini museum on the premises to record the history of the castle and the inhabitants of the village of Saint-Izaire.

The castle is one of a group of 23 castles in Aveyron who have joined to provide a tourist itinerary as the Route des Seigneurs du Rouergue. It was built by Guillaume Rotlindes, ancestor of the current Rollinde de Beaumont, as a gift to the Abbey of Vabres, close to the commune of Saint-Affrique. The deed attesting the gift is preserved to the present day.

The castle was often used as a summer residence by the abbey. When the cathedral and palace of Vabres were razed in the wars of religion, the castle was used by refugees from the abbey. The structure is a massive quadrangular red stone building that shelters the town hall of the village of Saint-Izaire.

The keep-tower in the southern wing contains mural frescoes dating from the 14th century. The ceiling in the room of the bishops is in the Baroque style of the 17th century. The structure is supported by the keep-tower in the southern wing, which was partially demolished since the 19th century.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons