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Standing tall on terraces on the mountain flank
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Just after the Crusade, the castle of Saissac was rebuilt, probably with the help of the king's engineers. The keep, the four quadrangular towers and the curtain walls are certainly of this period (end 13th century / beginning 14th century).
The castle was largely remodelled by the de Bernuy family in the 16th century. The de Bernuys were wealthy woad merchants. Vestiges of large Renaissance mullion windows testify to this past glory.
The Wars of Religion also modified the monuments with the addition of numerous loopholes for cannons. Watch towers, circular towers and the recently restored central building, are certainly also of that period.
Originally, access to the castle was from the borough side by a drawbridge protected by a ditch. Today, the drawbridge and the ditch have disappeared. The monument is composed of an irregular curtain wall demarcating a quadrilateral of about 115 metres long and 30 metres wide.
Established over three successive terraces, all the buildings follow the natural inclination of the ground. On the first terrace stand the ruins of a powerful polygonal keep of about 20 metres high. Of very meticulous construction, it is fronted by a courtyard. The second terrace is dominated by the vast main building over 4 levels including 2 underground. It is served by a postern gate and a ramp. The third terrace, apparently more recent, has two circular corner towers.
The entire construction is made of a local schist and details, such as the cornices, are in granite.
At the foot of the castle, in the ravine, the remains of the old fortified village of Saissac stand at the centre of an important network of medieval raods, accessed through the Toulouse gate.
To enjoy the visit of the castle with your children, a discovery game is proposed for 8- to 13-yearolds during open visits.
The fortified village still offers the vestiges of its collective curtain wall, one of its former medieval gates and also two defensive towers. The larger tower shelters the « Musée des Vieux Métiers» (the traditional crafts museum).
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Château de Saissac
11 310 Saissac
phone/fax: (+0033) 04.68.24.46.01
Take the national road to Pezens then take the departemental road D629. |
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