château d'Ainay-le-Vieil is a 13th-century plain fortress in the Cher department (18).
The château was built on the site of an earlier fortress. Two dwellings were built inside the enclosure: the feudal dwelling in the 13th century and the Renaissance dwelling in the 15th century.
The keep disappeared during the Renaissance and was replaced by a main building. château d'Ainay-le-Vieil is divided into two parts, one medieval and the other pre-Renaissance.
The fortified enclosure, built in the second half of the 13th century, is octagonal, irregular, surrounded by wide moats, flanked by seven cylindrical towers with arches and a two-tower châtelet entrance. The ramparts are still in place, with a walkway overlooking the moat and courtyard. These enabled visitors to make a complete tour of the enclosure. The drawbridge was replaced by a drawbridge in the 19th century.
Le châtelet était consacré à la défense de la forteresse dont il protégeait l’unique entrée. Très bien conservé, il est un très bon exemple pratiquement intact de l’architecture militaire de l’époque. Il possède toujours ses deux corps de garde.
Le logis féodal est adossé aux remparts. Ce bâtiment quadrangulaire était le logis seigneurial
directement relié au corps de garde par une galerie extérieure couverte. La salle de l’étage du logis était la « grande salle » seigneuriale. C’était le centre de la vie du château, là où le Seigneur exerçait son pouvoir civil, administratif et de justice et là où il recevait ses hôtes.
The Renaissance dwelling was completed́ before 1515. Leaning against the surrounding wall, it is built at right-angles to the only right angle of this enclosure. Its courtyard facade features two wings arranged on either side of the octagonal-plan tower of honor housing the staircase. The Italian influence can be seen in the imperial domed roof, which supports the dragon, and the two loggias on the facades, new for the time, as well as the abundant sculpted decoration.
La porte du grand escalier est surmonté d’un fronton d’une grande richesse symbolique. Le
tympan porte les armes Bigny : l’écu au lion entouré de chevesnes (pour Chevenon) surmonté d’un casque avec un chien, symbole de la fidélité́. Les portants sont deux
sirènes, la devise, « Le courage ennoblit et exalte les hommes ». Au-dessus sont les armes de France portées par l’ange, et surmontées de l’image de la Vierge portant l’enfant Jésus. La hiérarchie féodale est ainsi bien établie entre le vassal et Dieu par l’intermédiaire du roi, personnage consacré.
Inside, the large living room is remarkable for its fireplace decorated in honor ofAnne de Bretagne and Louis XIIone of the finest in the Loire Valley; the chapel is exceptional for its architectural features - sculpted coffered ceiling - and murals by Jean Boucher and his workshop, and stained glass by Lécuyera master glassmaker who worked at Bourges Cathedral.
The tour is punctuated by historical and family memories and handed down from generation to generation..
