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  2. Patrimoine
  3. Occitanie
  4. Ariège
  5. 09460 Rouze

  6. Château d'Usson in Rouze

 Château d'Usson in Rouze dans l'Ariège

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine défensif
Châteaux cathares
Château fort
Ariège

Château d'Usson in Rouze

    Le Bourg
    09460 Rouze
Private property; property of the municipality
Museums of France
All the castles of France Cathar castles
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Château dUsson à Rouze
Crédit photo : Pierre Goujet - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Haut Moyen Âge
Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1000
1100
1200
1300
…
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
1035
First written entry
1244
Headquarters of Montségur
1258
Sentencing of Bernard d'Alion
1638
Dismantlement ordered
1711-1713
Transformation
1978
Registration for historical monuments
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Ruins of the castle (cad. A 1999-2009: entry by order of 16 June 1978, as amended by order of 25 April 1996, as amended by order of 18 September 1997

Key figures

Bernard d'Alion - Lord of Usson and Vassal of the Count of Foix Protected the cathars, convicted for heresy.
Cardinal de Richelieu - Minister of Louis XIII Ordained dismantling in 1638.
Marquis de Bonnac - Noble purchaser in 1711 Fits to refurbish the castle.
Victor Canas - 18th century architect Directed the transformation work.

Origin and history

The castle of Usson, located on a rocky spur on the edge of the Aude near the hamlet of Usson-les-Bains (Commune of Rouze, Ariège), is mentioned for the first time in 1035. It belonged to the lords of So and Alion, vassals of the Count of Foix. During the crusade against the Albigeois, Bernard d'Alion, although having lent allegiance to Simon de Montfort, protected the Cathars and sent soldiers to the siege of Montsegur (1244). Sentenced for heresy in 1258, he died on the stake at Perpignan.

After the end of the conflicts related to Catharism, the castle lost its strategic interest with the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659), which removed the Spanish border. It was dismantled in 1638 by order of Richelieu. In 1711 Louis XIV sold the castle and the Donezan to the Marquis de Bonnac, who had it renovated by architect Victor Canas between 1712 and 1713, adding three towers to make it a home. The property was confiscated during the Revolution, and the castle served as a stone quarry.

The current remains, including a pentagonal dungeon and a residential tower, were listed as historical monuments in 1978 (amended in 1996 and 1997). Since 1999, the former 18th-century stables have housed the Donezan Heritage House, exhibiting objects from excavations. After consolidation work (2018), the tower was opened to the public in 2020. The site is crossed by the GR7 and the GRP Tour du pays du Donezan.

External links

Page Wikipedia
Page Monumentum