Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Decize Castle, located on the heights of the city in the former province of Nivernais, finds its origins in a site occupied since ancient times, as evidenced by the remains of a Gallo-Roman temple still visible. The first archived record dates back to the end of the 11th century, marking the beginning of an ongoing seigneurial occupation. This castle was a privileged residence of the Counts and Dukes of Nevers, evolving over the centuries between military fortress and aristocratic residence.

In the 12th century, the construction of the dungeon in the shape of the eperon and the "old castle" (seigneurial and defensive systems) marked a first major campaign. The 13th and 14th centuries saw reshaping of the shooting openings and adding shirts around the walls to modernize the defenses while expanding the windows of the houses. These changes reflect the adaptation of the castle to the residential and strategic needs of its occupants, such as Mahaut de Courtenay or Philippe le Hardi.

The 15th and 16th centuries brought profound changes: rearticulation of the houses around a monumental circular staircase and covered gallery, symbols of increased comfort. The castle, sold in 1778 by the last Duke of Nivernais, Jules Barbon Mancini-Mazarini, was then dismantled stone by stone. Its materials, marked with lapidary signs, are used to build part of the city. Today, only the first levels of the house and the dungeon remain partially, classified as a historical monument since 1932.

The departmental archives reveal the past richness of the castle, with works accounts (1357–1405) detailing rooms, towers, drawbridges, kitchens and even a press. These documents illustrate an active seigneurial life, between embellishments and repairs, although their exact location in the current ruins is often uncertain. The systematic reuse of stones in the 18th century partly explains the fragmentary state of the remains.

Among the notable figures related to the castle are John Tristan (son of Saint Louis), Louis II of Maële, or Bonne d'Artois, who left their mark on it by works or stays. Mary of Albret and the Mancini-Mazarini, in the 17th and 18th centuries, perpetuate this tradition of luxurious secondary residence, before its definitive decline. The current gazebo, built on the ruins, offers a panoramic view of the Loire and the city, recalling its strategic past.

The systematic demolition after 1778 erases a large part of the building, but the marks of taskers (letters, figures, symbols) engraved on the stones used in Decize still bear witness to its history. These signs, alphabetical (M, W, V) or geometric (anchors, crosses), were used both for pose and to identify artisans. Today they constitute an intangible heritage linked to the material remains still visible.

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