Name -
Eglise et Chateau de Temniac
Location -
Sarlat-la-Caneda
Department -
Dordogne 24
State -
Chateau Ruin, Church
The chateau itself remains quite mysterious as for its original occupants. Which lord had decided one day to build a fortress at this spot? At the end of the XIIth century, the first writings mentioning the name of Temniac reveals that it is in the possession of the monastery of Sarlat. Is this the Count of Perigord?.
It is as possible as Temniac was related to the history of Templiers of the area. The chateau will undergo the violence of the wars which devastated Perigord. Five times, it will be cut down and five times, it will be restored thanks to the bishops.
In the XIVth century, the pope Jean XXII will create the eveche of Sarlat, thus making the pass TEMNIAC from the hands of the abbots to those of the bishops, and Raymond de Rocquecorn, 1st bishop of Sarlat, will rebuild the castle and the church.
During the One hundred year War, Sarlat will place a garrison at Temniac to defend oneself against the English and Gilbert de Domme.
The chateau will then be destroyed twice. In 1424, Bertrand of Cropte will carry out the first restoration. He will be the only buried bishop within Temniac.
Between 1480 and 1492, Bertrand de Roffignac and his successor Pons de Salignac will rebuild it once again, and it is probably at this time there that the chateau will take its Renaissance aspect. During the Wars of religion, the lord of Lasted, turned with the protesting party, he will besiege Sarlat with twelve thousand of his men, not managing to take the city, they will raise the head office on October 6, 1562
"but from to go away not without leaving some trace of their reformed insolence, they reflect fire in the four suburbs and with it the chateau de Temniac, ruined the convent of the cordeliers.in the ashes all the hay, straws, books and the wine which it could not drink."
In 1593, Louis de Salignac will repair and rebuild the church and the chateau, while renovating, we could suppose the defense systems were added.
In 1652, the army of Prince de Conde will again destroy the chateau and church of Temniac. This time, it will be François de Salignac, uncle and godfather of Fenelon, Cambric archbishop, who will rebuild the ruin. He will build a comfortable dwelling in the middle of the enclosure and will replace the South-eastern tower with a hexagonal tower.
Before the end of the XVIIth century, Temniac will then shelter the nuns during the restoration of their convent, then the seminarists during the construction of the seminar of Sarlat.
History will reach Temniac once, because in 1791, it will be definitively ruined again by the Revolution. Seized as national goods, it will be sold via biddings by the Directory in 1794 to M.Gueyraud who will lease it, then will resell it with its tenant.
Temniac will not be any more a stone quarry, disappearing little by little under ivy and brambles. It will then pass from the heir's children to a private individual, then with his current owners.
Let us not forget either the church of Temniac, old vault of the castle whose history is closely related to that of the chateau.
