Château de la Guyonnière, Beaulieu-Sous-Parthenay, France

Château de la Guyonnière dates back to the 14th century, with later modifications in the 15th and 16th centuries while retaining a distinctive feudal appearance. It forms a quadrilateral with corner towers, one of which houses a dovecote. Access is through a fortified gate.

The gardens, accessible via a drawbridge forming a postern, are surrounded by deep moats and consist of nine medieval-inspired squares. These gardens feature a mix of flowers, vegetables, honey plants, medicinal and aromatic plants, fruits, old roses, shrubs, and fruit trees.

The two-hectare gardens comprise a contemporary garden created in 1987 by landscape architect Alain Richet, respecting medieval spirit. Divided into nine themed enclosures beyond the castle's moats, it sits on the site of the 14th-century 'ouche,' forming an island surrounded by deep moats fed by springs. To access it, visitors cross the moats via a functional pedestrian drawbridge from a passage between the castle and its stables.

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Mayeul Rocky (6 months ago)
@sylvianhusson, this is the principle of private priority The squire's son; lord of la guyonniere and la jartelle nevertheless makes it very easy to visit his room….

sylvain Husson (6 months ago)
beautiful castle, not open to the public. impossible to go around from the outside. impossible to see the garden...

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Church of St Donatus