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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Quingey Castle, also known as the Papal Castle or Bourgogne Counts Castle, is a medieval building located in the heart of the village of Quingey, in the Doubs department. Founded in the eighth century according to certain sources, it served as a residence for the Counts of Burgundy and was the birthplace of historical figures such as Gui de Bourgogne, who became pope under the name of Calixte II in 1119, and Simon de Quingey, who was born in 1448. The current remains date mainly from the 13th and 15th centuries, with traces of defensive architecture such as a circular tower and ramparts.

The building underwent restorations in the 18th and 19th centuries, but part of it was destroyed in 1823 to build a factory (cloutery, sparterie). Among the preserved elements, the tower's facade and roof, as well as a room with a common oven (used by the local community), have been listed in Historic Monuments since 1991. The tower, covered by a conical roof, recalls by a plate the birth of Calixte II. The site, today private property, mixes medieval ruins and more recent additions.

The castle illustrates the turbulent history of Franche-Comté, marked by its fluctuating membership between the Kingdom of France and the Holy Empire. Its strategic position near the Loue River made it a key control point. The 15th century Gothic modifications and subsequent restorations reflect its adaptation to residential and economic needs, before its partial transformation into an industrial site in the 19th century. The protected remains offer a rare testimony of Comtoise Castral architecture.

Although partly in ruins, Quingey Castle remains a symbol of local heritage, associated with major personalities such as Calixte II, whose pontificate (1119–1124) marked the history of the Church. Simon de Quingey, on the other hand, embodied the transition to modern times, with a military career in the service of the Dukes of Burgundy. The inscription in the Historical Monuments aims to preserve these traces of a past both Comtal, religious and artisanal.

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