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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Serres, located in the department of Aude in Occitanie region, is a seigneurial building whose origins date back to the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, when the bishop of Alet was the vigilante lord. The seigneury was then ceded to private individuals, and the present castle, of approximately square plan, was remodelled between the 16th and 18th centuries. Its defences include two square towers and corbelled scalds, with a north tower retaining five elevation levels. A rectangular cannonhole and a musket-shaped embrasure, typical of the 16th century, reinforce its north-west court. The front door, pierced in the south-east courtyard, was protected by a stretcher still visible today.

Defensive layouts and mouldings of the windows date back to the late 16th or early 17th century, while arches and large works of towers seem to be earlier. Traces of 16th century restorations are visible attesting to successive changes. The castle was listed as historical monuments in 1947, and in the 20th century it belonged to actor Jean Deschamps, who built a green theatre in his park. The facades and roofs have been protected since a 1947 decree, highlighting its heritage importance.

The location of the castle, in the municipality of Serres (code Insee 11377), is documented with an accuracy deemed satisfactory. Its architecture reflects the evolution of military and residential techniques between the Renaissance and the modern era, while preserving medieval elements. The available sources, including Wikipedia and the Merimée base, confirm its status as an emblematic monument of the Audian heritage.

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