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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The dungeon of Houdan is a living master tower built in the first half of the 12th century (1105-1137) by Amaury III de Montfort, Count of Évreux. Located west of the village, it was part of the fortifications protecting a rich agricultural terroir, on the western fringes of the estate of the Counts of Montfort. This 25-metre-high oval tower, flanked by four turrets, also served as a symbol of power, linked sometimes to the Duchy of Brittany and sometimes to the Kingdom of France according to family alliances.

Never taken in the course of its history, the tower became royal property in 1532, before being ceded by Louis XIV to the family of Albert de Luynes. In 1800 it was sold to a local cabaretier, then changed hands several times before being transformed into a water castle (1880-1970) with the addition of a metal tank, then concreted in 1952. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1889, it was bequeathed to the city of Houdan in 1903 by Dr.

Restored from 2014, the dungeon opened to the public in 2016. Its innovative architecture for the period (integrated staircase, benches) makes it a rare witness to the 12th century residential dungeons. Today, the old tank houses a projection room, while the tower retains its 3.50 m thick walls and oval plan, later taken up in Ambleny.

The monument also illustrates the evolution of heritage uses: from fortress to reservoir, then to cultural place. Its strategic location, near the Norman routes to Paris, emphasized its role of territorial control under the Counts of Montfort, before its definitive integration into the royal domain.

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