TreeAlive
‹ Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques, France

Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Château de la Garde (également sur commune de Ustou)

Seix, Ariège, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, registered (inscrit)
Protection
inscrit MH
Extent of protection
Château (cad. Seix B 1373 ; Ustou A 50) : inscription par arrêté du 8 février 1996
Protection dates
1996/02/08 : inscrit MH
Type
château
Main period of construction
Moyen Age
Ownership
propriété privée
Commune
Seix
Département
Ariège
Region
Occitanie
Country
France
Coordinates
42.83583, 1.20286
Mérimée reference
PA09000002

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

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

3 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1781 map "40 Ax." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Get directions ↗

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

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

Qualité du dispositif défensif (vaste enceinte rectangulaire au milieu de laquelle s'élève un donjon) associé à celui du château de Mirabat. Châteaux bâtis en moellons, déjà en ruines au 16e siècle. Selon la tradition, Charlemagne de passage à Seix lors d'une campagne menée contre les Sarrasins, aurait organisé la défense contre l'ennemi, faisant édifier le château de la Garde et y plaçant une garnison. Cette zone de passage nécessitait des postes de guet et de défense. La forteresse consiste en une vaste enceinte rectangulaire au centre de laquelle s'élève un donjon. La muraille est percée d'une brèche irrégulière au-dessus de laquelle se suspend un mâchicoulis. La façade est-sud-est est flanquée de deux tours d'angle, une ronde, et une en forme de fer à cheval.

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

Quality of the defensive arrangement (vast rectangular enclosure in the middle of which rises a keep) associated with that of the castle of Mirabat. Castles built in rubble stone, already in ruins in the 16th century. According to tradition, Charlemagne passing through Seix during a campaign waged against the Saracens, would have organized the defence against the enemy, having the castle of la Garde built and placing a garrison there. This passage zone required watch posts and defences. The fortress consists of a vast rectangular enclosure in the centre of which rises a keep. The wall is pierced by an irregular breach above which hangs a machicolation. The east-south-east façade is flanked by two corner towers, one round and one in the shape of a horseshoe.

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
See your own family's places on a living map