Vaulted vestibule of the former bishop's palace
Sarlat-la-Canéda

Listed historic monument

Palais épiscopal

XIVᵉ–XXᵉ siècles · Sarlat-la-Canéda

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Palais épiscopal

The former palace of the bishops of Sarlat

Former bishop's palace of Sarlat, today a tourist office and exhibition rooms

Listed historic monument·XIVᵉ–XXᵉ siècles·Mérimée PA00082932

A former episcopal palace whose north façade was built, for the most part, between the late 15th and early 16th century, beside Saint-Sacerdos Cathedral. Having become the town hall after the Revolution, it now houses the tourist office and exhibition rooms.

1317Creation of the bishopric
XVᵉ–XVIIᵉEnlargement of the palace
1900Covered market and theatre
1904Listed Monument Historique

History

The story, stage by stage

Scroll down to follow the monument's evolution. A one-minute read.

  1. 1317

    1317

    The creation of the bishopric

    A bishopric is created in Sarlat; it will need a palace.

  2. 1318

    1318

    The first bishop

    Raymond de Roquecorn takes up his post

  3. Fin XVᵉ- fin XVIIᵉ

    Fin XVᵉ- fin XVIIᵉ

    Enlargement

    The episcopal palace is enlarged

  4. 1900

    1900

    A civic transformation

    The town hall moves out; a covered market and a theatre are installed.

Key figures

The great figures involved

Figure 1 of 2

The places

Explore the building

Did you know?

3 things to remember

1533

Niccolò Gaddi becomes bishop of Sarlat The first bishop to be appointed by the King of France, he brought to the town the cultural and artistic influence of the Italian Renaissance.

1904-1910

A loggia more recent than it appears The loggia crowning the north façade dates not from the Renaissance but from 1904. The architect Rapine decided to remove the lauze stone-slab roof and to add a third storey made up of a gallery and a bartizan.

3 vies

Town hall, courthouse, tourist office At the Revolution, the palace took in the town hall, the courts and the police; today it houses the tourist office.

The site's future

What future for the former bishop's palace?

The former palace of the bishops now houses the tourist office, but its state rooms remain underused. Their future is still to be imagined.

219 habitants ont déjà donné leur avis · la commune s'en saisira.

Museum of the history of Sarlat

Telling a thousand years of the town, from bishops to cinema, in the palace's rooms.

144 votes

Grand visitor hall

An enlarged reception area and a single ticket office for all the town's monuments.

99 votes

Rooms for local life

Lectures, community exhibitions and meetings in the state rooms.

61 votes

Prestige guests

A few upmarket guest rooms on the upper floor, facing the cathedral.

33 votes
Another idea for this place?Propose your vision: it will be put to the vote and passed on to the town.

Map & access

Getting there

Rue Tourny, 24200 Sarlat-la-Canéda · Dordogne