Sculpture Park Engelbrecht, Sculpture garden at Château des Fougis, Thionne, France

Sculpture Park Engelbrecht displays 29 monumental steel sculptures on the grounds of Château des Fougis in Thionne, Allier. The works, cut from massive steel plates, are placed around the château and along a path through the former gardens and fields. The photograph shows one rust-brown plate sculpture with hornlike, spiked and winglike cut forms, small round holes and snow on its upper edges.

Les Fougis was held by the Le Long family from 1461 to 1727, when it passed to Jean Berthier de Bizy; an inventory of 1410 already names a Lord of Fougis. The château was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century, with a classic-style doorway dated 1593. Erich Engelbrecht bought the estate in 2001 and installed his steel sculptures in its gardens and former hunting fields.

The park is named after Erich Engelbrecht, who bought Les Fougis in 2001 and built the display until his death in 2011; he was buried in the château park. The sculptures were cut from massive steel plates in Germany and assembled on site. The indoor exhibition of tapestries, oil paintings and graphics was set up by the artist and his wife between 2004 and 2010.

The sculpture park welcomes visitors throughout the year without requiring advance notice, making it easy to visit on your own schedule. If you plan to see the indoor castle collections, you should arrange a reservation in advance.

The last and smallest sculpture arrived shortly after Erich Engelbrecht's death in Vichy on 21 July 2011; he was buried in the park of Château des Fougis. All 29 sculptures were made in Germany from massive steel plates 5.5 to 35 cm thick, then transported to Fougis for final assembly.