Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Taurus Castle, located on a rocky island in Morlaix Bay (Plouezoc'h, Finistère), was erected after the English attack of 1522 that ravaged Morlaix. François I authorized its construction in 1542, financed by the Morlaisians in exchange for the right to appoint its governor. The first fort, centered on the Tour Française (attributed to Philibert Delorme), was rebuilt in 1614 after its destruction by the sea.

Vauban visited the site in 1689 and criticized its condition, proposing a complete reconstruction of stone. The work, led by engineers Garangeau and Frézier, ran from 1689 to 1745. The fort was enlarged with casemates, a reinforced enclosure, and a dominant tower, using local granites (Callot Island, Batz). He also served as a prison for Breton gentlemen or political opponents, such as the Montagnard deputies in 1795.

Disused militarily in 1878, the castle became a prison (hosting Louis Auguste Blanqui in 1871), then a nautical center (1960–1982). Ranked a historic monument in 1914, it was restored between 2000 and 2006 and opened to the public. Today it bears witness to the evolution of coastal fortifications and Breton maritime history, with a muséography centered on the eighteenth century.

The building, never accessible on foot, symbolizes France's resistance to invasions and defensive strategy. Its stones, extracted from the neighbouring islands, and its successive developments (canons, fanal, telegraph) reflect technological progress. The skull discovered in 1905 in its basement recalls its prison use, while its polylithic architecture makes it a jewel of the Vauban heritage.

The castle inspired literary works (Fleur-de-Misère de La Landelle, 1884) and was a filming site (Secrets d'Histoire, 2020). Its restoration, carried by an intercommunal association, saved the monument of ruin, piercing a hold planned by Vauban three centuries earlier. Today, it attracts 20,000 annual visitors, mixing military history, legends and maritime landscapes.

External links