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Origin and history

Murol Castle is built on a basalt flow at an altitude of nearly 1,000 metres, at the intersection of three ancient Roman roads linking Limagne, Le Mont-Dore and Clermont-Ferrand. Its origins date back to the 11th century, with a Romanesque chapel and defensive walls erected between the 11th and 12th centuries. The first occupation of the site may date from the neolithic, although assumptions suggest a Gallo-Roman presence. The parish and the castle of Murol were created in the 11th century, probably at the expense of neighbouring parishes such as Saint-Nectaire or Saint-Victor-la-Rivière.

Between the 12th and 15th centuries, the castle was regularly enlarged and strengthened, especially in the 14th century by William II of Murol, who added a funeral chapel. The medieval structure is organized around a polygonal enclosure with basalt relief, with a 13th century master tower (the tower of Chautignat) housing vaulted rooms and a staircase with screws. The high court, inhabited by the lord and about 20 people, also includes a garrison reduced to three men of weapons.

At the end of the 15th century, the castle passed to the d'Estaing family after the marriage of Jehanne de Murol with Gaspard d'Estaing. Francis I of Estaing undertook ambitious works in the 16th century: a bastioned enclosure, a Renaissance palace with hanging garden, and almond towers for light weapons. The works remained unfinished, and the site, spared by Richelieu and then the Revolution, fell into ruin and served as a stone quarry. Ranked a historic monument in 1889, it is now one of the main attractions of the Puy-de-Dôme, managed since 2017 by the company Kleber Rossillon.

The castle housed several seigneurial families, including the Comptour d'Apchon in the 13th century, followed by the Chamba, then the Sans (or San), whose name evolves into "de Murol". In 1455, the marriage of Jeanne de Murol, the last heiress, with Gaspard d'Estaing marked the beginning of a new era for the estate. In the 19th century, the Count of Chabrol ceded the castle to the department, which returned it to the commune in 1953.

The remains include two chapels (XI and XIV centuries), a medieval kitchen with oven and kneading, and vaulted rooms. The site, referred to by Guy de Maupassant in Humble drama (1883), was also used as a setting for the film Kaamelott: Premier Volet (2020). Since 2023, it has attracted more than 180,000 visitors annually, reflecting its tourist and historical influence.

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