The medieval ‘Maison des Chevaliers de Pont-Saint-Esprit’ boast of a remarkable painted ceiling
The Piolenc was an old family of merchants, which lived in Pont-Saint-Esprit in the Rhone Valley from 1150 to 1763. The family is famous for its beautiful medieval house, which still stands.
This former mansion of a large family of merchants in the Rhone Valley – La Maison des Chevaliers de Pont-Saint-Esprit – is a good place to get a feeling for what daily life in the 15th century was like.
The family is known for having being part in a conflict with the Abbey of Cluny in the 12th century. As such it became the leader of the faction, which secured the place as part of the Royal dominion in 1301. Later the house was used as a center for royal and local jurisdiction. More precisely the house played a significant role in a royal entry in 1449. It is believed that the heraldic décor of the house was painted at that time by the owner, Guillaume de Piolenc and inspired by his Italian sojourn in Florence.
Today a Museum for Sacred Art, it is possible to see the house and enjoy the beautifully painted wooden ceiling.
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Medieval Painted Ceilings in Southern France