Construction of the chapel 3e quart XVIe siècle (≈ 1662)
Late Renaissance religious building.
XVIIe siècle
Construction of the castle and communes
Construction of the castle and communes XVIIe siècle (≈ 1750)
Classic architecture, on ancient feudal motte.
Début XIXe siècle (Restauration)
Architectural changes
Architectural changes Début XIXe siècle (Restauration) (≈ 1904)
Renovations under the French Restoration.
28 octobre 1996
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 28 octobre 1996 (≈ 1996)
Protection of facades, roofs and moats.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Façades and roofs of the castle, the communes, the dovecote, the chapel; moat and old mot (cad. T 183-185, 188, 189): entry by order of 28 October 1996
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character mentioned
Sources insufficient to identify owners.
Origin and history
The castle of the Fort in Mézilles, located in the department of the Yonne in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, is a building whose origins date back to the 3rd quarter of the 16th century for its chapel, while the main body and commons date back to the 17th century. It was partially redesigned under the Restoration in the early 19th century. This castle rises to the site of a raging feudal motte, of which today only the ditches remain, testimony of its medieval past. The ensemble, protected by moat, illustrates the architectural evolution between Renaissance and classical times.
The chapel, the oldest element of the estate, reflects the stylistic influences of the late Renaissance, with features specific to the religious constructions of this period. The castle and its outbuildings (municipal, dovecote) were inscribed in the Historical Monuments by order of 28 October 1996, thus recognizing their heritage value. The protections concern in particular the facades, roofs, moats and remains of the motte, stressing the importance of preserving both architecture and archaeological traces of the site.
The castle of Fort is part of a regional context marked by a density of castles and fortresses, heritage of feudal rivalries and then transformations linked to the affirmation of royal power. In Burgundy, these buildings played a defensive, residential and symbolic role, reflecting the social status of their owners. Although the sources do not explicitly mention the historical sponsors or occupants of the Château de Mézilles, its architectural evolution shows the successive adaptations to the needs and tastes of the eras crossed.
