Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Marais Castle, also known as Mirabeau Castle, was an 18th-century building located in the west of Argenteuil, in Val-d'Oise. Built on an estate formerly owned by Benedictines in the Middle Ages, it was distinguished by its south façade facing the Seine and its north façade opening onto a vast landscaped park. This estate, one of the most remarkable in the vicinity of Paris between the 15th and 19th centuries, was the scene of the life of great noble families and notables, some of whom marked history.

The castle was destroyed by German troops during World War II in 1944. At the end of the conflict, only fragile facades remained, as well as some architectural elements such as the gate and hermitage, a garden factory often wrongly referred to as the chapel. These Renaissance-style remains were restored in 2008. The park, which housed a slum during the Algerian war, is now occupied by the Marais stadium. The portal and its vantals have been included in the inventory of historical monuments since 12 January 1931.

Among the personalities associated with the castle were Jacques de Flesselles, provost of the merchants and first victim of the French Revolution on 14 July 1789, as well as Victor Riquetti, Marquis de Mirabeau, nicknamed "l'ami des hommes", who died there the day before, 13 July 1789. These figures illustrate the political and social importance of the domain, which was a place of aristocratic power and residence before its destruction.

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