Château Moncade

The Château Moncade is a ruined castle in the commune of Orthez in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France.[1]

Château Moncade
Orthez, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France
La tour Moncade
Château Moncade
Coordinates43°29′31″N 0°46′13″W
Height33 metres (108 ft)
Site information
OwnerCommune
Open to
the public		Yes
ConditionPreserved
Site history
BuiltFrom 1242 (1242)
Built byGaston VII, Viscount of Béarn
MaterialsStone
Demolished18th century

History

Construction of the castle was started in 1242 by the Gaston VII, Viscount of Béarn (the keep, known as the tour de Moncade) taking advantage of the absence of Edward III. When the King returned, Gaston was imprisoned and had to swear allegiance before being released. He subsequently reneged.[2]

It was the residence of the Kings of Béarn when their capital was Orthez. Standing on top of a hill above the town, it afforded views of the surrounding county over a radius of more than 30 kilometres (19 mi). The central tower was surrounded by high curtain walls and moats up to 15 metres (49 ft) deep. Entry was by a drawbridge.[3]

In the 14th century, Gaston Phébus, Count of Foix, altered it between 1368 and 1375.

The castle was burned during the Wars of Religion in 1569. It was sold during the French Revolution to dismantlers who largely demolished the curtain wall.[4]

The only remains are the keep (in a good state of preservation), the moats (in course of restoration) and remnants of the curtain wall. It has been listed since 1840 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.[1]

Visits

The castle is open to the public (paying) and contains, among other items, a model of the site.[5]

  • Drawing of Château Moncade during the 14th century
  • The tower of Château Moncade
  • Ground plan of Château Moncade during the 14th century
  • The tower of Château Moncade

See also

References
  1. Base Mérimée: Vestiges du château Moncade, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
  2. V A Malte-Brun, "Orthez" in La France illustrée : géographie, histoire, administration, statistique, (Victor-Adolphe, 1882), vol 3, p 24 (in French) (via Gallica). Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  3. Albert Durant des Aulnois, "Les Clefs d'Orthez, épisode de la vie municipale aux XVIe et XVIIIe siècles", in Travaux de l'Académie nationale de Reims (Académie nationale de Reims, 1886) vol 77.1, p 172 (in French) (via Gallica). Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  4. "Ortez - Castellated Castle", Petit futé. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  5. Jean Sarsiat, "Le poids touristique du château Moncade" , Sud Ouest, 5 July 2011 (in French). Retrieved 4 June 2020.
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