Construction of the castle 1235 (≈ 1235)
Edited by Sicard Alaman for Raymond VII.
1320
Passage to the Levis
Passage to the Levis 1320 (≈ 1320)
Marriage transferring the seigneury.
1818
Sale and dismantling
Sale and dismantling 1818 (≈ 1818)
Used as a stone quarry.
22 novembre 1909
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 22 novembre 1909 (≈ 1909)
State protection of ruins.
Années 1980
Partial restoration
Partial restoration Années 1980 (≈ 1980)
Location of the walls of the enclosure.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Castle (ruins): by order of 22 November 1909
Key figures
Sicard Alaman - Lord and builder
Vassal of Raymond VII, builder in 1235.
Raymond VII - Count of Toulouse
Indirect commander of the castle.
Famille de Lévis - Subsequent owners
Heirs by marriage in 1320.
Origin and history
Castelnau-de-Lévis Castle is an ancient 13th century castle built in 1235 by Sicard Alaman, vassal of the Count of Toulouse Raymond VII. Built on the rocky piton of the "Puy de Bonnafous", it served as an advanced bastion for Toulouse possessions facing the kingship, north of the Tarn River. Originally named Castelnau-de-Bonnafus, he was renamed after his inheritance by the Lévis family. A village was also built at its feet at the same time.
The castle adopts a triangular plan, dictated by the topography of the site. Today, only ruins remain, including a 14th century watchtower, a 13th century staircase tower and a 15th century wooden tower. These remains overlook the Tarn Valley and the city of Albi. Its present state results from its use as a quarry in the 19th and 20th centuries, although partial restoration since the 1980s has allowed to locate the walls of the high enclosure. From the lower enclosure, only a fortified door remains visible.
The main tower, 35 meters high, consists of a semicircular tower backed by a square tower. It had three vaulted floors, with traces of missing floors that once doubled the number of floors. Ranked historic monument by decree of 22 November 1909, the castle illustrates medieval defensive architecture and conflicts between the Counts of Toulouse and the Capetian kingship.
According to the sources, the castle was still intact in the early 19th century before being sold in 1818 and dismantled for its stones. The current remains also include remains of 16th century decorative paintings, now missing, and a rectangular tower with a staircase. The seigneury of Castelnau-de-Bonnafus passed into the family of Lévis by marriage in 1320, marking a change in its feudal history.
The site, located in Castelnau-de-Lévis in the department of Tarn (Occitanie region), is accessible via the rue Cap Del Castel. Its ranking among historical monuments underlines its heritage importance, although its precise location is considered mediocre (note of 5/10).
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