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Origin and history

The enclosure of Romenay is a medieval fortified complex built to protect the village, located in the department of Saône-et-Loire, in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. Its origins date back to the 12th century, when the bishops of Mâcon undertook fortification works, replacing a primitive enclosure in earth and wood with a masonry structure. The East and West gates, as well as a square tower and sections of courtlines, still remain today, integrated into the current building.

From the 12th century, Ponce de Thoire, bishop of Mâcon (1140–1161), launched the construction of a brick barn and a defensive wall, replacing a hedge on slope. His successor, Étienne de Bâgé (1164–184), continued the construction of the hardwood enclosure and erected a new building between the chapel and the existing barn. This work is accompanied by the strengthening of fortifications and the construction of residential and functional buildings around a castral motte located southwest of the village.

The most remarkable elements of the enclosure, the gates of East and West, are inscribed in the historical monuments by order of 28 February 1927. On 11 March 1933, the square tower and its courtine wall received an inscription. These remains bear witness to the strategic importance of Romenay in the Middle Ages, under the influence of the Mâconese bishops.

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