The black oak: a millennium of change

The Château du Tauzia, nestled in Maignaut-Tauzia, is a type of Gascon castle, bearing the name of the local black oak. It was built in the early 13th century but was abandoned a few decades later, around the same time as Hector de Gelas' death. Over the years, it saw a long line of lords and owners, from Menaud de Barbazan to Hector de Gelas, and many more in between. According to the stories, it was Jean II de Marestang, the first acquirer, who added large windows with mullions to the structure, replacing the archeries, and constructing a circular staircase on the south-west facade to serve the upper floors.

Known as 'château de Tauzia' but locally as 'le Tauzia', this castle was built using black oak logs, giving it its name. The main body of the castle, now in ruins, is a rectangular structure. The interior was divided into two floors by a wall with fireplaces, and windows with mullions were added in the early 16th century.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons