Pavillon d'Anne de Beaujeu, pavillon à Moulins (Allier)
The Pavillon d'Anne de Beaujeu is a small Renaissance building attached to the castle of the Dukes of Bourbon in Moulins. The structure has an elongated form with an arcade gallery and features finely decorated pilasters, leaf-shaped ornaments, and detailed carvings throughout its walls.
The building was constructed around 1500 under Anne de Beaujeu and her husband Pierre II of Bourbon, who used Moulins as an administrative center. It suffered fire damage in 1755, but gained protection as a historical monument in 1840 and underwent restoration in the early 1900s to house the current art museum.
The pavilion is named after Anne de Beaujeu, an influential Renaissance figure who shaped its construction as a symbol of power and cultural authority. The building reflects the transition from medieval to Renaissance ideas and shows how new artistic influences from Italy reached this region.
The pavilion is located at Place Colonel-Laussedat in central Moulins and is easily reached on foot. Visitors can admire the exterior architecture and explore the adjoining art museum, which displays works in a calm, well-organized space.
The building bears the initials of Pierre II of Bourbon, proving it was completed before his death in 1503. A major fire destroyed parts of the pavilion in 1755, yet thanks to its protection as a historical monument in 1840, it escaped complete destruction and oblivion.
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