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Origin and history

Selles Castle, built in the 12th century in Cambrai, is a remarkable vestige of medieval military architecture in northern France. Although its existence in the 10th century remains hypothetical, a papal bubble of 1119 mentions for the first time mills "near the castle of Selles". The latter, probably built between 1026 and 1080 by the bishops of Cambrai, was used to defend the city and to supervise its inhabitants, these prelates holding the power of total power since 948. The current remains date mainly from the reconstruction undertaken in 1270 by Bishop Nicolas de Fontaines.

In the 16th century, the castle lost part of its defensive function after Charles-Quint built a citadel in 1543, but it continued to be used as a prison. Damaged during the siege of Cambrai by Louis XIV in 1677, he underwent major changes in the 18th century: the states of Cambresis razed its medieval superstructures to erect military buildings, transformed into hospitals after 1813. They welcomed wounded until 1940, before sheltering the courthouse since 1992.

Ranked a historical monument in 1981, the Château de Selles preserves medieval elements (reparts, dungeon) and eighteenth-century facades. Its history reflects the strategic and urban developments of Cambrai, marked by recurrent conflicts, particularly between France and the Spanish Netherlands. Today, it symbolizes both medieval military heritage and modern justice, integrating civilian functions after centuries of defensive or hospital vocation.

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