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Origin and history

Quillan Castle, mentioned since 1125, is a military building built between the late 13th and early 14th century on earlier fortifications. It belongs initially to the archbishops of Narbonne, who are the suzerans, before being contested during the crusade of the Albigeois. Simon de Montfort took over in 1216, but Pope Honorius III ordered his restitution in 1217. In 1224, Amaury de Montfort transferred his rights to Louis VIII, triggering a conflict with the archbishopric of Narbonne. The castle, with a square plan with scalables and a door tower, reflects a homogeneous defensive architecture.

In 1255, the inhabitants of Quillan recognized the authority of Archbishop Guillaume de la Broue. In 1280 Philip III the Hardi confirmed an agreement with Pierre de Montbrun, but in 1332 Philip VI de Valois took possession of it. The castle, an episcopal residence, houses a large hall and interior buildings. It suffered fires in 1573 during the Wars of Religion and deteriorated in the 17th and 18th centuries. Partly dismantled in 1735-1736, it was sold as national property in 1805 before being bought by the commune in 1950.

The excavations of the 1990s reveal remains of the courtyard, including a low hall with monumental fireplace, typical of archbishop castles like Auriac or Villerouge-Termenès. The 1,80-metre thick courtines are pierced with archery and berries. The door tower, 8 m wide, has an assommoir and traces of a harrow. The castle, inscribed in the historical monuments in 1954, retains characteristic defensive elements, despite its partial condition.

His history is marked by conflicts between royal and ecclesiastical power. Confiscated during the Albige crusade, he alternately went under royal or archbishopal control. The archbishops of Narbonne, like Arnaud Amaury or Pierre de La Jugie, played a central role. The site, strategic on the Aude, illustrates the political and religious tensions of the medieval Languedoc. Its decline accelerated after the Wars of Religion, with limited restorations before its gradual abandonment.

Today, the ruins of the castle, with their square enclosures and polygonal scallops, dominate the city of Quillan. The modern water castle installed in the courtyard contrasts with medieval remains. The walls in bossage, typical of the 13th century, and the well-preserved archeries testify to its defensive past. The site, open to the public, offers a panorama of the valley and recalls the strategic importance of Quillan in the Middle Ages.

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