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Origin and history

The castle of the bishops of Alet, located in Cournanel in the department of Aude, is a building dated from the first quarter of the 14th century. This monument, inscribed in historical monuments in 1948, originally belonged to the abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Alet. Its convex eight-sided polygonal plan, reinforced by four square towers, reflects a defensive architecture characteristic of the medieval era. The seigneury of Cournanel, mentioned as early as 889 under the term castrum in 1119, was divided in 1321 between the bishop and the chapter, probably marking the beginning of the construction of the present castle.

The remains still visible today include well-preserved courtines, especially to the west, as well as a south tower, the highest of the site. The west gate, protected by two arched square towers, was probably preceded by a drawbridge. Inside, the buildings are largely ruined, with the exception of a construction adjacent to this gate. Internal defences, such as archeries and vaulted halls, reveal a strategic conception to counter intrusions, even after taking the entrance.

The visible wall near the western gate, dating from the late 16th century, is all that remains of the ancient episcopal residence. This castle illustrates the importance of fortresses in the region, linked both to the protection of ecclesiastical territories and to local conflicts. His inscription in 1948 specifically concerned elements such as courtesines, scalables, and towers, highlighting their heritage value.

The site, although partially in ruins, offers an architectural testimony of the dynamics of power between the religious and seigneurial authorities in Occitanie. The accuracy of its location is estimated as satisfactory a priori, and there remains a notable example of the late medieval castles of the region, integrated with the historical landscapes of Aude and Languedoc-Roussillon (now Occitanie).

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