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Origin and history

The castle of Dyo is an ancient castle probably erected at the end of the 11th century, serving as a nerve centre for the lordship of Dyo during the Middle Ages. Located on a hill in the village of Dyo, Saône-et-Loire, it controlled an important road between Charolles and La Clayette. Its origin may date back to the Carolingian era, although the first written records appeared only in the 13th century.

By the end of the 11th century, the fief was reportedly attributed to Hugues de Damascus de Semur before his departure for the crusade in 1118. The first explicit reference to the castle dates from 1262 when it was acquired by Heloïse, Lady of Luzy. Over the centuries, the seigneury changed hands by marriage alliances: in 1336, Guyot de Dyo's marriage with Alix Palatin gave birth to the Dyo-Palatin lineage, which retained the estate until the 16th century.

In the 17th century, Marie-Élisabeth Palatin de Dyo handed over the seigneury to Damascus by marriage. The castle, already abandoned, was sold as national property in 1794 after the Revolution. Tombing in ruins in the 18th century, today only remains of the oval enclosure, including three circular towers and a 13th century tower. Partial restoration in the 20th century saved the dungeon and some fortifications.

The site also housed houses and agricultural outbuildings, some built on the old walls. A nearby strong house, Lavaux, was once under the authority of Dyo Castle. In 1816, a drawing attests that the enclosure was almost intact, contrasting with its present state of fragmentary vestige.

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