Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Rochefort-en-Terre came into being in the 12th century, when the lords of Rochefort built a fortress on a rocky spur overlooking the Gueuzon. This first castle, of pentagonal plan, passed in 1374 to the family of Rieux, one of the most influential of the Ducale Brittany. Partially destroyed in 1488 by order of Charles VIII, it was rebuilt around 1490 by John IV of Rieux, who added a chestnut and a south tower. The wars of the League (1594) and the looting of 1793 reduced the building to ruins, leaving only towers and ramparts to survive.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the American painter Alfred Klots acquired the site in 1907 and transformed the 17th century communes into a neo-Gothic mansion, incorporating architectural elements taken elsewhere, such as the skylights of Keralio Castle or a chapel that had been raised in the park in 1917. The castle, used as a hospital during the two world wars, was sold by way of life to the General Council of Morbihan in 1978. It was finally ceded to the commune in 2013, after having been registered with historical monuments in 1990.

The Naia Museum, dedicated to the art of imagination, opened in 2015 in the park, inspired by the legend of Naia, a witch who had lived in the ruins in the late 19th century. The castle thus illustrates a superposition of styles and eras, mixing medieval heritage, classical reconstructions and neogothic reinterpretations, while playing a contemporary cultural role.

External links