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Origin and history

The Château de Labruguière, located in the department of Tarn in Occitanie, finds its origins in the 10th century with the construction of a castle serving as the nucleus of the village. This strategic site, located on a rocky base bordering the plateau, was the scene of confrontations during the religious wars. In 1591 Guillot de Ferrières, a local Protestant lord, took over from Labruguière before submitting to Henry IV. The castle, partially restored in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, then incorporates elements of the old ramparts.

The present building consists of a long rectangular house with a slightly rounded façade, pierced by regularly spaced sill windows on two floors, topped by dormant windows under the cornice. A major architectural particularity is a round tower in corbellation, inscribed with historical monuments since 13 July 1927, which rises above the slate roof. This tower, worn by a stump adorned with carved crows and mouldings, comprises three floors illuminated by cross-windows. A square tower, integrated with the gable wall, completes the whole.

The history of the castle is also marked by a legal conflict in the 18th century. In 1749, the Marquis du Lac sued the inhabitants of Labruguière after abolishing their privileges, claiming retroactive taxes. The drapier Bernard Dougalos, after 28 years of proceedings, won in 1777, forcing the marquis to repay the sums unduly collected. This rocking episode illustrates the social tensions of the Old Regime.

Today, the castle, owned by the commune, has a recent restoration that gives it a new appearance, albeit slightly artificial. Its inscription to historical monuments specifically concerns the round corner tower, emblematic vestige of its seigneurial and military past. The exact address, 15 Place Victor Hugo, makes it a central point of the city, accessible to the public for visits or local events.

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