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Origin and history

The castle of Thionville, located in the municipality of the same name in Moselle, has its origins in a Carolingian estate mentioned since 770 under the name of palacio publico. This site, frequented by Charlemagne and his successors, housed a chapel built in the 9th century by Louis le Pieux, inspired by that of Aachen, but destroyed in 939. No archaeological vestiges today confirm that the Puces Tower, known as Carolingian, is the last witness. From the 10th century onwards, Thionville passed under Luxembourg rule, and the Counts built a castle there, whose tower at the Puces, a polygonal tower with 14 sides (XI–XII centuries), probably formed the dungeon.

The enclosure of the castle, 140 m by 80 m, was defended by several towers, of which only the twin towers remain and a tower behind the present court. These structures, partially rebuilt in the 14th century and restored in 1542–43, served as a passage between the castle and the developing city. Between the 15th and 18th centuries, noble families obtained the right to build houses there (hotels in Raville-Septfontaine, Créhange-Pittange, or d-Eltz). The renovation of the fortifications in the 16th century, led by Adam de Volkrange for the Court of Brussels, resulted in the destruction of some of the buildings, buried under the new ramparts.

In the 18th century, modifications were made, such as the piercing of windows in 1771 in the twin towers. The successive demolitions (1903 for the Puces Tower, 1947 for buildings on the Moselle side) give the castle court its present appearance. The monument, partially inscribed in the Historical Monuments since 1980, now consists of two towers connected by a porch, as well as medieval and classical remains. Its history reflects the political and military transformations of the region, from Carolingians to Luxembourg, then to modern times.

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