Château de la Caunette
Caunette Castle
Lastours
Access
No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found
- Where
- Lastours
To make a day of it
Open within 20 km
Château de la Caunette stands in Lastours (Aude), in the Occitanie region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 16th century). The building is privately owned and no visits are on record.
The château de la Caunette, built in the sixteenth century in Lastours, owes its origins to the exploitation of iron and lead mines that had enriched these lands since the Middle Ages. From 1667 onward, the château housed the royal mining laboratory, connected directly to underground galleries. Its architecture blends the final Gothic elements visible on the western façade, with its mullioned windows, and Renaissance decoration adorning the three other sides of the quadrilateral plan. Two square towers, one serving as a residence on the southeast, the other as a staircase on the northwest, frame this regular composition.
What to know
- The building has been listed as a historic monument since 1948, particularly its ancient windows and doors, as well as its two square towers.
- Remains of the defensive wall survive partially on the southwest side of the building.
- The western façade preserves Gothic features from the fifteenth century, while the three other sides show Renaissance development.
- A fire or meteor impact in 1826 damaged the staircase door and interiors, with architectural traces remaining visible.
Where this château is
Lastours · Aude · Occitanie
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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km
Address
11600 Lastours
Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.
- Period of construction
- 16th century
Base map © IGN, Géoplateforme
Itineraries
In pictures
Frequently asked
- When was the château de la Caunette built?
- The château dates from the sixteenth century. From 1667 onward, it served as the seat of the royal mining laboratory, directly connected to ancient mining galleries.
- Why was the château built at this location?
- The Caunette site was chosen for its proximity to iron and lead mines exploited since at least 1336, which supplied the royal domain.
- What damage did the château suffer in 1826?
- An event, possibly a meteor impact, damaged the staircase door and caused harm to the interior apartments, whose traces remain visible.
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Sources
Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Mérimée register.
- This entry in Markdown
- Wikidata Q2971177
- Mérimée PA00102728
