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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Chaumont dungeon, also known as the Hautefeuille Tower, is a medieval tower built in the 12th century on a rocky spur overlooking the Suize Valley in the town of Chaumont. It was 19 meters high, part of a strong castle composed of twelve towers and three gates, symbol of the power of the Counts of Champagne. Its thick walls (2.60 m at the base) and its graffiti of prisoners, dating from its transformation into a prison around 1830, bear witness to its turbulent history.

The dungeon is the last vestige of the original castle, considered the "cradle of the city". Today, in its lower rooms, it houses the Chaumont Museum of Art and History, classified as the Musée de France. The tower retains its original appearance, with interior walls covered with inscriptions engraved by the inmates. Its name "Hautefeuille" reminds the lords of the place before the Counts of Champagne, linked to Mount Aimé and Picardie.

Ranked a historic monument since 13 July 1926, the dungeon is owned by the Haute-Marne department. It illustrates medieval defensive architecture and the evolution of its use, going from fortress to place of detention, then to cultural space. Its strategic location, between the Suize and Marne valleys, made it a key point for regional control in the Middle Ages.

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