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Origin and history

The castle of Peter II is an ancient castle built at the beginning of the eleventh century in Guingamp, in the Côtes-d'Armor, on the order of Peter II of Brittany, nicknamed the Simple. Located on a strategic height, it overlooks the Trieux Valley and played a key role in defending the city. Its remains, partially preserved, were listed as historical monuments in 1926 after archaeological excavations conducted in 2005, revealing forgotten elements of local history.

Originally, the site was home to a castral mot in the Count, built around the 11th century. Shaved by the Plantagenet in the 12th century when the Duchy of Brittany was resumed, it was replaced by a polygonal stone fortification. In the 15th century, under the impulse of John V of Brittany and then of Peter II, the castle was rebuilt and integrated into a wider urban defensive system, including six towers, four gates and two poternes, completed in 1456.

The castle was part of a defensive belt designed to protect Guingamp, with ramparts built in 1446 by John de Beuves on behalf of Peter II. These fortifications drew the contours of the medieval city, reflecting its strategic importance in Brittany. Occupied until the 20th century by a primary school, the site lost part of its original structure, but the remaining remains testify to its military past and its architectural evolution.

Today, the remains of the castle, property of the commune, are located place du Château in Guingamp. Their preservation makes it possible to study the transformations of ducal power in Brittany, from the first feudal mottes to the stone castles of the lower Middle Ages. Continuing archaeological research enriches the understanding of this often unknown heritage.

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