Château de Mauvezin, Mauvezin, France

Château de Mauvezin, occupied since protohistory, was transformed into a castrum in the Middle Ages and later into a castle. The castle was built by Gaston Fébus (also Phoebus) around 1380. Following the merging of Bigorre into the Kingdom of France in 1607, it fell into disuse and was dismantled piece by piece, its stones being used for other buildings.

Today the castle is being restored and houses a historical and folk museum of Bearn and Bigorre.

User Reviews

you who (8 months ago)
Great spot for a picnic with great views and fresh air, there's even a few goats hanging around to keep the children amused.

Brian Skellie (12 months ago)
Wow! What a treasure of history well demonstrated by the guide in period costume! We enjoyed the medieval animations, music and spectacle enthusiastically. The picnic area has breathtaking mountain and valley views. Fun in family!

Boris Modylevsky (12 months ago)
Chateaux de Mavezin is a well preserved castle with a properly organized exhibition that shows medieval life.

Saara Sälpäkivi (13 months ago)
Happened upon this great castle by accident while on a roadtrip. It was well worth the visit since it was beautifully restored and the views were fantastic.

Musa Mailula (2 years ago)
It was an amazing tour of the castle from the medivial period. The castle and the historical ornaments and weapons are well preserved. Parking is available and it's free. The town is in a crime free zone, so no worries about being mugged. There's a souvenir shop inside the castle and the lady that works inside the shops speaks both French and English. The place is not full, you get to take your time observing the displays.

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Sirmione castle was built near the end of the 12th century as part of a defensive network surrounding Verona. The castle was maintained and extended first as part of the Veronese protection against their rivals in Milan and later under the control of the Venetian inland empire. The massive fortress is totally surrounded by water and has an inner porch which houses a Roman and Medieval lapidary. From the drawbridge, a staircase leads to the walkways above the walls, providing a marvellous view of the harbour that once sheltered the Scaliger fleet. The doors were fitted with a variety of locking systems, including a drawbridge for horses, carriages and pedestrians, a metal grate and, more recently, double hinged doors. Venice conquered Sirmione in 1405, immediately adopting provisions to render the fortress even more secure, fortifying its outer walls and widening the harbour.

Thanks to its strategical geographical location as a border outpost, Sirmione became a crucial defence and control garrison for the ruling nobles, retaining this function until the 16th century, when its role was taken up by Peschiera del Garda.

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