The Abbadia Observatory Castle, majestic lair of an eclectic scholar
Published on
A blend of neo-Gothic and orientalism, the Abbadia observatory castle, built between 1864 and 1884, was classified as a historic monument in 1984. Hendaye Tourism
Explorer, astronomer, geographer, linguist... Antoine d'Abbadie was an intriguing 19th-century scholar and devout Catholic. Nestled high on the Hendaye corniche, his observation castle reveals the hectic life of this jack-of-all-trades in science.
La Croix gives you the opportunity to offer this item to your loved ones for free.
Subscribe to La Croix and offer this article to your loved ones for free.
I subscribeAt the end of the coastal road linking Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Hendaye, in the Basque Country, a majestic building stands on the heights. Surrounded by English-style gardens, where the pink flowers of hydrangeas and albizzias color the 415 hectares of unspoiled nature, the neo-Gothic building, resembling a fortified castle, overlooks the Atlantic. Hidden beneath the clouds, La Rhune, the highest peak in the area, completes the panorama. The Abbadia Observatory Castle was built between 1864 and 1884 by the illustrious architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, at the request of the future owner, Antoine d'Abbadie.
This article is reserved for subscribers
La Croıx
