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Origin and history

The castle of Pisa, located in the eponymous village of Yonne in Burgundy, is a strong house whose origins date back to the thirteenth century. It was originally built by the family of Arcis, the youngest branch of the seigneurs of Montreal, after authorization of Anseric VI of Montreal in 1235. This castle, conceived as a military architectural ensemble, symbolized local feudal power and served as a refuge for populations and herds in case of threat. His original plan, probably philippian, included dangle towers and ditches, characteristic of the fortresses of the time.

In the 15th century, the castle was thoroughly renovated, notably under the impetus of Ragny's Eudes in 1480, which rebuilt part of the buildings and obtained the right to hold annual fairs there. The monument passed into the hands of several influential families, including the Grancey, the Montot, and the Aux-Épaules, which added Renaissance elements like a decorated staircase. It was transformed into an agricultural farm in the 18th century and thus escaped destruction thanks to its practical use, although its towers were partially demolished after the Revolution.

Today, the castle of Pisa preserves an exceptionally intact structure, with its lower courtyard, 13th century chapel, and seigneurial houses. Ranked Historic Monument in 2013 after a first inscription in 1944, it also served as a set for films such as Jeanne la Pucelle (1994) by Jacques Rivette. Its acquisition in 2023 by the medieval site of Guedelon marks a new stage in its preservation, aimed at restoring the site with traditional techniques.

The history of the castle is closely linked to that of the crusades and feudal alliances. The Montreal family, then Arcis, played a key role in its construction and evolution, before the fief came into the hands of Grancey and Ragny. Religion wars and local conflicts, such as the capture of the castle by the Leaguers in 1590, left visible traces, including fire marks on the door. Despite these tumults, the castle survived, bearing witness to Burgundy's defensive architecture and the social transformations of the region.

Architecturally, the castle is distinguished by its square enclosure of more than 50 meters side, its two staircases with screws (one of which is from the 13th century), and its vaulted chapel dogives. Agricultural buildings, added later, illustrate its adaptation to economic needs. The quality of its construction, with a neat apparatus and prismatic patterns, was emphasized by historians like Victor Petit, who considered it one of the most remarkable military buildings in Burgundy after Semur-en-Auxois.

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