Château de Foix

Coordinates: 42°57′56″N 1°36′18″E / 42.96556°N 1.60500°E / 42.96556; 1.60500
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Château de Foix

The Château de Foix (

French Ministry of Culture.[1]

History

The Château de Foix, as shown on a photograph from late 19th century.

Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

Château de Foix

In 1034, the castle became capital of the

Cathars
.

The castle, often besieged (notably by Simon de Montfort in 1211 and 1212), resisted assault and was only taken once, in 1486, thanks to treachery during the war between two branches of the Foix family.

From the 14th century, the Counts of Foix spent less and less time in the uncomfortable castle, preferring the Governors' Palace (Palais des gouverneurs). From 1479, the Counts of Foix became Kings of

Henri IV
of France, annexed his Pyrrenean lands to France.

As seat of the Governor of the Foix region from the 15th century, the castle continued to ensure the defence of the area, notably during the Wars of Religion. Alone of all the castles in the region, it was exempted from the destruction orders of Richelieu (1632-1638).

Until the

musketeers under Louis XIII and Marshal Philippe Henri de Ségur, one of Louis XVI's ministers. The Round Tower, built in the 15th century, is the most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They served as a political and civil prison for four centuries until 1862.[2]

Since 1930, the castle has housed the collections of the Ariège départemental museum. Sections on prehistory,

Gallo-Roman
and mediaeval archaeology tell the history of Ariège from ancient times. Currently, the museum is rearranging exhibits to concentrate on the history of the castle site so as to recreate the life of Foix at the time of the Counts.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Château de Foix.
  • Château de Foix seen from the town
    Château de Foix seen from the town
  • View of the town from Château de Foix
    View of the town from Château de Foix

See also

References

  1. ^ Base Mérimée: Foix: Château, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
  2. ISBN 2-907899-44-9
    .

External links

42°57′56″N 1°36′18″E / 42.96556°N 1.60500°E / 42.96556; 1.60500

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