The castle of Leucate was the first prototype realized in Europe based on the principle of bastionated enclosures. The design it utilized was an avant-garde concept for its time, imagined by a few Italian architects, including Léonard de Vinci. The goal was to adapt fortresses to the progress of artillery. This technique would see its hours of glory some 150 years later with "à la Vauban" fortresses, characterized by their star shape.
Leucate became a frontier town at the limit of two kingdoms. This castle was the counterpart to that of Salses. It endured heavy action, especially during the siege of 1590. During this time, Françoise de Cézelly gained her status as a heroine thanks to her heroic resistance.
The strategic value of the castle disappeared after the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. Because it was expensive to maintain, the authorities decided to destroy it. They awarded the work to a mason from Narbonne, to whom they provided the stocks of powder contained in the casemates of the fortress.
The demolition was completed in 1665, and the castle of Leucate took on the appearance it has today. It was officially listed as a historical monument in 2006, many years after the decision was made to destroy the structure.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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