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Origin and history

The château des Ducs de Savoie, located in Chambéry, is an ancient castle whose origins date back to the 11th century. It was originally built by the lords of Chambéry on a strategic hill that controlled the Roman routes to Italy. Gradually acquired by Savoy's house from 1232 onwards, it became their principal residence and the administrative center of the county, then of the Duchy of Savoy. The castle was modified several times, especially in the 13th, 15th and 17th centuries, to meet its political and military functions.

Between the 13th and 15th centuries, the castle was enlarged and fortified by the Counts of Savoy, including Amédée V, who installed the Chamber of Accounts there and built defensive towers. The Gothic chapel, built between 1408 and 1430, housed the Saint-Suaire from 1502 to 1578. The castle was also the place of important celebrations, such as the baptism of Amédée VIII in 1383 or the marriage of Louis de Savoie and Anne of Cyprus in 1433.

In the 16th century, after the transfer of the Savoyard capital to Turin in 1563, the castle retained an administrative function. It housed the Chamber of Accounts, the Government of Savoie and the General Stewardship. Damaged by several fires (1532, 1743, 1798), it was restored and transformed, notably under Napoleon I, who had an imperial apartment built there. Since 1860 and annexation of Savoie to France, it has hosted the prefecture, the departmental council and the Savoie Academy.

The Sainte-Chapelle, the Gothic jewel of the castle, was restored between 2009 and 2012. It houses a large carillon of 70 bells, installed in the Yolande Tower, work of the foundry Paccard. The castle, classified as a historical monument since 1881, today embodies nearly ten centuries of Savoyard history, mixing medieval heritage, Renaissance and modern transformations.

The site, originally protected by marshes and an arm of the Albanne River, dominates the town of Chambéry. Its architecture reflects its many functions: fortress, ducal residence, place of worship and administrative center. Medieval parts, such as the Tower of the Archives or the Tower of Treasure, stand alongside Baroque and classical elements, bearing witness to the architectural and political evolutions of Savoy.

Among the notable events are the capitulation of the castle against the troops of Henry IV in 1600, the stays of Victor-Amédée II and Charles-Albert of Sardinia, or the reconstruction work carried out in the 19th century. The castle remains a symbol of Savoyard power, its cultural influence and its gradual integration into France.

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