The Château Moncade is a ruined castle located in the commune of Orthez in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France. Construction of the castle began in 1242 by Gaston VII, Viscount of Béarn, who took advantage of the absence of Edward III. When the King returned, Gaston was imprisoned and had to swear allegiance before being released, though he subsequently reneged on that oath.
The castle served as the residence of the Kings of Béarn when their capital was Orthez. Situated on top of a hill above the town, it offered views of the surrounding county over a radius of more than 30 kilometres. The central tower was protected by high curtain walls and moats up to 15 metres deep, with entry provided by a drawbridge.
In the 14th century, Gaston Phébus, Count of Foix, altered the site between 1368 and 1375. The castle was later burned during the Wars of Religion in 1569. During the French Revolution, it was sold to dismantlers who demolished much of the curtain wall. Today, the keep remains in a good state of preservation while the moats are in the course of restoration.
The site has been listed as a monument historique since 1840. It is open to the public for a fee and contains a model of the site.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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