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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Vestiges du château et sa deuxième enceinte

Najac, Aveyron, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, classified (classé)
Protection
classé MH
Extent of protection
Château (vestiges) et sa deuxième enceinte : classement par arrêté du 3 juillet 1925
Protection dates
1925/07/03 : classé MH
Type
château
Main period of construction
12e siècle, 13e siècle
Dates
1100, 1249
Ownership
propriété privée
Commune
Najac
Département
Aveyron
Region
Occitanie
Country
France
Coordinates
44.21841, 1.97340
Mérimée reference
PA00094081

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1742 map "Composite: Languedoc." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

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This record on the Ministère de la Culture's POP platform ↗

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

Le château et son enceinte sont en ruine depuis la Révolution. Son rôle militaire prit fin au 15e siècle et, en 1614, était déjà signalée la ruine de l'édifice. Le château primitif fut probablement construit vers 1100 sur un escarpement. En 1226, Guilhem Bernard de Najac s'associe à la lutte de Raymond VII contre Saint-Louis. En 1237, suite au mariage de Jeanne, fille du comte de Toulouse, avec Alphonse de Poitiers, frère de Saint-Louis, Najac devint possession royale. Cette forteresse assurait la maîtrise des défilés de l'Aveyron, et la sécurité des communications avec les provinces nouvellement réunies. En 1249, suite à une révolte des habitants, Alphonse renforça les défenses d'après les méthodes militaires du domaine royal. Du 12e siècle subsiste la tour carrée ; tout le reste remonte au 13e siècle. Le donjon actuel est un modèle francilien transporté en Rouergue.

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

The castle and its enclosure have been in ruins since the Revolution. Its military role ended in the 15th century and, in 1614, the ruin of the building was already reported. The original castle was probably built around 1100 on an escarpment. In 1226, Guilhem Bernard de Najac associates himself with the struggle of Raymond VII against Saint-Louis. In 1237, following the marriage of Jeanne, daughter of the count of Toulouse, to Alphonse of Poitiers, brother of Saint-Louis, Najac became royal possession. This fortress ensured control of the defiles of the Aveyron, and the safety of communications with the newly united provinces. In 1249, following a revolt of the inhabitants, Alphonse reinforced the defences according to the military methods of the royal domain. From the 12th century subsists the square tower; everything else dates to the 13th century. The present keep is a model of the Île-de-France style transported to Rouergue.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Base Mérimée, Ministère de la Culture, data last updated 2026-09-17, reused under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab). Record text is reproduced unchanged. Ministère de la Culture · Licence Ouverte 2.0
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