Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Harcourt Castle, located in Thury-Harcourt-le-Hom in Calvados, is a 17th and 18th century residence, now partially destroyed. Built from 1635 by Odet d'Harcourt on the site of an ancient medieval castle, it was enlarged between 1700 and 1718 by Henri d'Harcourt, 1st Duke of Harcourt and Marshal of France. The estate, the seat of the government of Normandy in the 18th century, housed a renowned park, redesigned around 1760 according to the principles of English gardens by the 5th Duke of Harcourt, author of a treaty on the art of gardens.

Thury's seigneury, mentioned in the 11th century, belonged successively to the Tesson, Preaux, and Montmorency families before being acquired by the Harcourts in 1635. The castle was the scene of an episode marking in 1786, when Louis XVI took the stage on his journey to Cherbourg. Fired by the Germans in August 1944, today only the facades, the restored chapel, and the remains of the park, partially renovated after the war, remain.

Inside, before its destruction, the castle housed sumptuous interiors, including the room of the Marshals decorated with equestrian portraits, a boudoir with works by Fragonard, and a room where Louis XVI spent the night. The park, famous in Europe for its ancient factories and artistic views, was accessible by a bridge on the Orne River. The archives of the Duchy, partially preserved in the departmental archives of Calvados, served as the basis for historical publications in the 19th century.

Ranked a historic monument in 1927 for its facades and pavilions, then in 1963 for its chapel and moat, the Castle of Harcourt remains a testament to the architecture and art of the 17th and 18th century gardens. Its destruction in 1944 resulted in the loss of its library, family archives, and most of its interior decorations, with the exception of some saved elements, such as the boudoir paintings later exhibited at the Champ-de-Battle castle.

The lineage of the Duke of Harcourt, governors of Normandy from 1764 to the Revolution, deeply marked the history of the estate. François Henri d'Harcourt, last Duke before the Revolution, emigrated in 1789, and the castle was seized as a national good. Bought by his descendants in the 19th century, he remained in the family until his destruction. Today, the ruins and park, although partially altered, recall its past prestige.

External links