Abbadie Castle
Castles - Palaces - Manor Houses
Produced by : 
© 2025
Produced by : © 2025
Antoine d'Abbadie, born in Dublin in 1810 to an Irish mother and a Basque father, was a passionate advocate of the Basque language and culture. His commitment to Basque culture was so great that at the end of his life he was given the name ‘Euskaldunen Aïta’.
Although a believing Christian, Antoine d'Abbadie stood out as an exceptional scholar and scientist with a passionate interest in geography, astronomy and foreign cultures. An indefatigable traveller, he drew the first map of Ethiopia after spending eleven years there. As a geodesist and astronomer, he was interested in the sources of the Nile and mapping the sky, among other things.
The castle houses an observatory that was in operation until 1975. Before his death in 1897, Antoine d'Abbadie bequeathed his castle to the Academy of Sciences, of which he was elected a member in 1867 and appointed president in 1892.
The outer walls of the castle are decorated with stone sculptures, including cats playing with mice, elephants, monkeys and snakes. Battlements, towers and a keep give the building the appearance of a medieval castle. The park is adorned with palm trees and the landscape offers views of the sea and mountains.
A surreal world of chimera animals supports the main staircase and fits perfectly with the exotic décor of Ethiopian shields and animal horns.
The main staircase is decorated with a colourful stained glass window showing the family coat of arms and mottos in the phylacteries: ‘Be rather than seem’ and ‘My faith, my rights’.
The library right in the middle of the castle is a place for work and reflection. It's got scientific and literary works. - Downstairs, there are astronomy books, which, along with the calculating machines on the work table, show what the old observatory was all about.
The castle, furniture and, last but not least, the office machines have been lovingly restored, as if they are just waiting for the ladies and gentlemen who work on them.
Thanks to the outdoor facilities, Abbadia is presented from its beginnings to the present day. This is a multifaceted place: from the gardens to agriculture and the science laboratory to the golf course. Explanatory notes, archive photos and maps take us on a journey through time.
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