Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Molinot found its origins in the 14th century as a strong house attested by 1298, belonging to the family of Mont-Saint-Jean. This fief, which became a strategic place, passed into the hands of Aumont's family in the 16th century. In 1591, a violent episode marked his history: the captain of the castle and his soldiers were kidnapped in the lower court and taken to Châteauneuf-en-Auxois for ransom. This monument, described as an imposing ensemble with drawbridge, three towers and ditches, underwent major transformations in the seventeenth century, including the development of a dovecote in the tower.

In the 18th century, the castle is in ruins according to the map of Cassini (1763) and partially destroyed in 1776 by its owner. The inventories of 1656 and 1716 reveal a complex architecture: a house body, ravelins, a pond and a lower yard, all surrounded by walls. Today, there is only a platform of 65 x 70 meters left, a round tower of the 14th century redesigned, and remains of walls. These elements, as well as the dovecote, have been protected since 1990 and 1994 under the Historic Monuments.

The historical sources underline the strategic importance of Molinot, linked to the local conflicts and noble families of Burgundy. The tower, the last medieval vestige, illustrates the architectural evolution of the site, moving from a fortress to a seigneurial residence before its decline. The excavations and archival documents confirm its role in the regional defensive network, although its present state no longer reflects its past grandeur.

The site, registered in the general inventory of heritage, offers a testimony of social and military transformations in Burgundy between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Its pond, ditches and traces of its buildings recall the typical spatial organization of Burgundian castles, adapted to both defence and seigneurial life. Recent protections aim to preserve these remains, despite the almost total disappearance of original structures.

External links