Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Châteaurenard Castle, built in the 12th century in stone, replaces a wooden defensive work built in the 10th century by the lord Raynardus, eponymous of the commune. Transformed by Ildefons d'Aragon, Count of Provence, it was adapted to jet weapons with raised towers in the 15th century. This strategic site, located 10 km from Avignon, served as a refuge in 1403 in Pedro de Luna (pape Benedict XIII) after his escape from the papal city.

Demolished and looted over the centuries, the castle today retains only two towers (one partially destroyed) and a section of rampart. Ranked a historic monument in 1921 after its acquisition by the city, the site was partially rehabilitated. The remains, accessible to the public, bear witness to a medieval defensive architecture: trapezoidal base, four initial towers, and a enclosure with a double harrowed airlock.

Historical sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) highlight its role in Provencal history, linked to the Counts of Provence and the religious conflicts of the Middle Ages. The towers, raised to counter the progress of artillery, illustrate the evolution of military techniques between the 12th and 15th centuries. The castle is one of the emblematic monuments of Bouches-du-Rhône, alongside the bastides and castles of the region.

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