L'Isle Castle was built in 1696 by Charles de Chandieu, lieutenant general of the Swiss Guards of Louis XIV, on plans Hardouint Jules Mansard, nephew of the great Mansard. After the hands of different families, it was bought by the municipality of L'Isle in 1876 which transforms it into school classes and as home town.
L'Isle Castle draws a U-shaped plan, between courtyard and garden, with a main building, where are the reception rooms and apartments for teachers and two wings containing services (kitchen, pantry, servants' rooms) and secondary local (archives, library, attic). Note the impressive framing Mansard is in perfect condition. In French-speaking Switzerland, the castle of L'Isle is the first regional example of French classicism and is a key milestone in the dissemination of this current. In 1710, a French garden, with ponds and two rows of trees are created. Waters of the Venoge river are used to establish a comprehensive water plan with a jet of water placed in the axis of the house. The lounge and dining room, the only two original parts furnished are used for cultural or official events. Once the cave was used as a kitchen and refectory for staff and as a prison. After its renovation, different parts of the vaulted and paved spaces are an ideal place for cultural and friendly activities.
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The Jan Hus Memorial stands at one end of Old Town Square. The huge monument depicts victorious Hussite warriors and Protestants who were forced into exile 200 years after Hus, and a young mother who symbolises national rebirth. The monument was so large that the sculptor designed and built his own villa and studio where the work could be carried out. It was unveiled in 1915 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Jan Hus' martyrdom. The memorial was designed by Ladislav Šaloun and paid for solely by public donations.
Born in 1369, Hus became an influential religious thinker, philosopher, and reformer in Prague. He was a key predecessor to the Protestant movement of the sixteenth century. In his works he criticized religious moral decay of the Catholic Church. Accordingly, the Czech patriot Hus believed that mass should be given in the vernacular, or local language, rather than in Latin. He was inspired by the teachings of John Wycliffe.