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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Montaigu-le-Blin is a former castle today in ruins, located on a hill overlooking the village of Montaigu-le-Blin, in the department of Allier. Built at the earliest in the 13th century, it was profoundly redesigned in the 15th century, especially under the impulse of Jacques de Chabannes, lord of the place. Its centered plan, surrounded by a enclosure flanked by cylindrical towers, reflects its defensive role between the Allier and Besbre valleys, in the natural region of Forterre.

The 14th century defensive system consisted of a drawbridge, an adjacent house and a double enclosure, the second of which, below, is now very degraded. The moulure portal, typical of the 15th century, marks the architectural evolution of the site. In the centre of the enclosure once raised a dungeon, symbol of seigneurial power. The castle monitored the strategic road linking the Val d'Allier to Lapalisse, fief des Chabannes, the influential family of Bourbonnais.

Threatened by dismantling at the beginning of the 20th century for the extraction of lime stones, the castle was saved in 1925 by four local families (Coisy, Féjard, Grellet-Dumazeau and Vaulx). They acquired it on November 11, 1925, allowing its classification as a historical monument on April 14, 1926. This rescue testifies to the inhabitants' attachment to their heritage, despite the partial ruin of the site.

The present, though fragmentary, vestiges provide an overview of the transformations between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The Renaissance house body, adjacent to the drawbridge, contrasts with the older defensive elements. Excavations and studies, such as those conducted by Albert Grellet-Dumazeau in 1933, documented his history, while highlighting his role in monitoring regional communication axes.

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