Château de Cabrespines: A Fortified Castle and Seventeenth-Century Château in France
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.8
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- France
- Primary era
- Early Modern
- Eras represented
- Early Modern
- Civilizations
- French
- Site type
- Domestic
- Remains
- Elite Residence
On this page6 sections
History
Château de Cabrespines is a historic château in Coubisou, France, whose origins lie in a fortified castle built on the Tourruol promontory in the late twelfth or early thirteenth century. The earlier stronghold protected local inhabitants and the valley as far as Anglars from invasions.
Medieval Fortress and the Counts of Rodez
During the thirteenth century, the castle became one of the residences of the counts of Rodez, medieval territorial rulers associated with Rodez and the surrounding Rouergue region. In 1274, Gui d’Estaing relinquished the rights he held over the castle.
Demolition and Reconstruction
In 1628, the castle was demolished on the orders of the Prince of Condé, a high-ranking French prince of the Bourbon dynasty. Jean de Cambon, the castle’s last captain, received the title of lord of Cabrespines as compensation. He was also authorized to build the western part of the present château with stones taken from the demolished feudal castle at Tourruol, and carried out this work in 1643.
Château de Cabrespines has been registered as a French historic monument since 2016.
Remains
The site brings together the location of the earlier fortress on the Tourruol promontory and the western part of the later château. Its surviving architectural history is therefore tied to the reuse of material from the medieval castle in the seventeenth-century building.
Tourruol Fortification
The first castle occupied the Tourruol promontory, a position chosen for its defensive purpose. Built in the late twelfth or early thirteenth century, it was intended to guard the local population and the valley extending as far as Anglars. Stones from this feudal stronghold were later reused in the present château after the castle was demolished in 1628.
Western Part of the Château
The western part of Château de Cabrespines was constructed in 1643 by Jean de Cambon. Its masonry incorporates stones recovered from the demolished castle at Tourruol, physically connecting the later residence with the medieval defensive site.
Nearby sites
