Château de Druyes
| Château de Druyes | |
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The château de Druyes gatehouse (interior view)
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| Coordinates | 47°32′55″N 3°25′22″E / 47.54861°N 3.42278°ECoordinates: 47°32′55″N 3°25′22″E / 47.54861°N 3.42278°E |
| Built | 12th century |
| Original use | Castle and noble residence |
| Current use | Tourist attraction |
| Architectural style(s) | Middle ages |
| Owner | Private property |
| Website | http://chateau-de-druyes.com/ (French) |
| Designated | 1924 |
 Location of Château de Druyes in France
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Château de Druyes is a medieval castle located in Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines in Yonne, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It was built in the 12th century by the Counts of Nevers, and remained in their possession until the 18th century. It was as much a noble residence as it was a fortified castle. It was a frequented dwelling place of Peter II of Courtenay, the Emperor of Constantinople in the 13th century, and his daughter Matilda, Countess of Nevers, Auxerre and Tonnerre.
It was later abandoned by the Counts of Nevers. From the 17th century onward, having lost all military and stately importance, it was no longer occupied and slowly deteriorated. It avoided destruction during the French Revolution but it was not until the second half of the 20th century that local residents and authorities became concerned about its fate and made efforts to save it from total ruin.
Druyes is part of the first generation of Philippians castles. These castles were built in the time of King Philip Augustus and displayed a simple plan and circular towers. It is built on a square plan of 52 meters wide. The corners are defended by four round towers. Three of the four curtains have a square tower. The north tower is the highest and acts as a fortified entrance gate. A large house, now gone, was located along on the south curtain wall and had Romanesque arched openings.
While there is no record of the activity at this site during Roman times, it is known that a Roman road passed by. Decades after the fall of the Roman Empire, about 543, a monastery was created and a nearby village grew and Druyes is cited as a parish of Auxerre in 596, under the name of "Drogia". Being close to the Druyes River made the village difficult to defend against invaders. During the time of the Norman invasions of the 9th century, the village was relocated to a more elevated and defensible rocky plateau nearby.
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Wikipedia