The Château de Brancion was defended by three fortified walls, the gateway to the city piercing the third of them and thus defending the village
The Château de Brancion was defended by three fortified walls, the gateway to the city piercing the third of them and thus defending the village. Several towers flanked the walls: Beaufort Tower, the Tower of Chaul, Longchamp Tower.
At the centre of this device, at the highest point of the rock, defended to the North and to the West by the third wall, stands the Dungeon, a high square tower including a blind ground floor without access to the outside and three floors. It remains impressive with its "retreat", the House of the Lord.
Until the 16th century, it was crowned with battlements and topped with a pointed roof which has been replaced by a terrace. Against the Dungeon, lies in the East a ruined owner's home, pierced by bottony bays, which seems to have been rebuilt in the 15th century on the foundations of the 12th century. It is flanked to the East of twin square towers attached the second wall, the Tower of the courtyard and the Tower of la Gaîté. To the South of this set, fishbone shaped walls remain. They were part of a prior to the 11th century construction.
Brief summary of history
The earliest mention dates back to the 10th century and during 300 years many families succeeded at Brancion, marking the site of their footprint.
In the middle of the 13th century the Lords of Brancion themselves were ruined by the seventh crusade that cost a great deal to Josserand the great, the new Lord of Brancion.
In 1477, at the death of Charles the bold, Duke of Burgundy and Grand Duke of the West, the greater part of the Duchy of Burgundy returned to the domain of the Crown and Brancion becomes Royal castel.
In 1594, during the wars of Religion, the Castle falls for the first and only time in its history. At the French Revolution, the Château was sold as national property. In 1860, Victor de Murard de Saint-Romain bought the Château de Brancion, it is still owned by his descendants.
The village of Brancion
Visit the charming medieval village of Brancion and St Peter's Church which has wall paintings from the 13th century.
http://www.memo.fr
Adulte: 6 €, 8 € (avec audioguide)
Enfant (de 5 à 16): 3 €
Enfant (moins de 5 ans): gratuit
Wi-Fi GRATUIT
chateaudebrancion@orange.fr
chateaudebrancion@gmail.com