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Braux-Sainte-Cohière Castle

Château de Braux Sainte-Cohière

Braux-Sainte-Cohière Castle, locally known as Château de Braux-Sainte-Cohière or simply as Château de Braux, lies in the village of the same name in the Marne department in France.

A lordship of Braux was already mentioned from the end of the 14th century. It belonged half to the King of France and half to Jehan de Saulx, Lord of Braux, Epense and Bignipont. Situated in a border area between the French kingdom and the Duchy of Lorraine and a near an old Roman road, it lay in a strategic area.

The present castle was built on the site of a predecessor in the late 16th century by Philippe de Thomassin, Lord of Braux, knight and later Viscount of Châlon. Philippe was a faithful companion of the French kings; first Henry III and then Henry IV. At that time the Wars of Religion were raging on, and Braux-Sainte-Cohière Castle was meant to represent royal power in the area. It had a purely military vocation as a fortified military commandery and housed a troop of light reconnaissance cavalry while Philippe resided in Châlons.

In the following centuries the castle lost it military purpose, due to the pacification of the region as a result of the attachment of Lorraine to the Kingdom of France and especially the appearance of metal cannonballs. Already at the end of the 17th century, the officers quarters were transformed into a comfortable residence.

Various families succeeded each other as owners of the castle; the Le Gorlier de Verneuils, the Drouets, the Dorigny d'Agny's, the Darteins and the Bussingers until it was acquired by the Institut de France, a French learned society, in 2007. By then the castle had already been standing empty for several years.

The Institut subsequently however also let the castle stand empty until it was finally bought in a very dilapidated state by its present owners in 2014. Since then they are slowly restoring it. The dovecote is the only remnant of the earlier 15th century castle.

The castle and gardens can now be visited for a small fee. A nice castle in a rural area.

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Braux-Sainte-Cohière Castle

Château de Braux Sainte-Cohière

Braux-Sainte-Cohière Castle, locally known as Château de Braux-Sainte-Cohière or simply as Château de Braux, lies in the village of the same name in the Marne department in France.

A lordship of Braux was already mentioned from the end of the 14th century. It belonged half to the King of France and half to Jehan de Saulx, Lord of Braux, Epense and Bignipont. Situated in a border area between the French kingdom and the Duchy of Lorraine and a near an old Roman road, it lay in a strategic area.

The present castle was built on the site of a predecessor in the late 16th century by Philippe de Thomassin, Lord of Braux, knight and later Viscount of Châlon. Philippe was a faithful companion of the French kings; first Henry III and then Henry IV. At that time the Wars of Religion were raging on, and Braux-Sainte-Cohière Castle was meant to represent royal power in the area. It had a purely military vocation as a fortified military commandery and housed a troop of light reconnaissance cavalry while Philippe resided in Châlons.

In the following centuries the castle lost it military purpose, due to the pacification of the region as a result of the attachment of Lorraine to the Kingdom of France and especially the appearance of metal cannonballs. Already at the end of the 17th century, the officers quarters were transformed into a comfortable residence.

Various families succeeded each other as owners of the castle; the Le Gorlier de Verneuils, the Drouets, the Dorigny d'Agny's, the Darteins and the Bussingers until it was acquired by the Institut de France, a French learned society, in 2007. By then the castle had already been standing empty for several years.

The Institut subsequently however also let the castle stand empty until it was finally bought in a very dilapidated state by its present owners in 2014. Since then they are slowly restoring it. The dovecote is the only remnant of the earlier 15th century castle.

The castle and gardens can now be visited for a small fee. A nice castle in a rural area.

Gallery

Details
Hits: 1079