Château de Galinières, Medieval fortress in Pierrefiche, France.
Château de Galinières is a fortress in Pierrefiche that began as a monastic barn and later became a fortified residence. The structure contains a prominent tower with vine branch paintings in the Abbot's Chamber on the upper floor, along with Gothic windows and pointed arch doorways throughout.
Built between 1371 and the mid-15th century as a monastic barn for Bonneval Abbey, the structure later became a strategic military position. Religious conflicts of the period drove its transformation into a fortified site that still stands today.
The lower hall of the keep displays an exhibition about Cistercian abbeys in the Rouergue region and how their estates changed from the French Revolution onward. The space shows the long relationship between religious communities and the land they managed.
To visit, you need to arrange an appointment in advance by calling ahead. Access is limited as not all areas of the complex are open to visitors at all times.
The building displays a rare blend of monastic architecture and medieval military design, with Gothic features like pointed arches in the sheepfold. This combination was typical of monastery complexes in this region that needed to defend themselves.
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