The castle of Bourbon is the result of a long series of building programmes which led to a magnificent XV^th c. fortress, with its vast great hall and 14 towers with bossed facing. Generation on generation, the castle was modified, fortified and embellished up to the XVI^th c.

Painted and sculpted decorations from the early XIII^th are still visible today.

Built on a rocky promontory of nearly one hectare, this « family home » has left us with a particularly beautiful ruin.

In the Middle Ages, the burg now known as Bourbon-l’Archambault comes to life at the foot of the castle, which is located at the crossing point of several ancient commercial routes.

A castle emerged on the rocky promontory in the mid X^th century, following a Carolingian castrum. The castle was rebuilt several times and an important work campaign took place late XII^th century. A Philippian castle was built in the rule of Mathilde I and Guy of Dampierre, next of kin to Philippe Auguste.

This was followed by other building programmes in the XIIIth c., by Archambaud VIII (1216-1242) and then in the early XIV^th c. under the rule of Louis I, who became the first duke of Bourbon in 1327. By then, the castle already stretched out along the entire promontory.

In the late XIV^th c., Louis II, third Duke of Bourbon and the king’s Charles V’s brother-in-law, engaged in substantial building work at the castle, benefiting hugely from the king’s generosity. Work on the second chapel began in 1479 in the rule of Jean II.

These constructions include:

§  the Qui-Qu’en-Grogne Tower,

§  the Amirale tower (where now stands the site’s reception/shop),

§  rework on the Old-Hall

§  the increased height of the towers and

§  the fortification of the Old-Bailey to the South (square towers and the New-Hall). 

At last, building work also took place in the XV^th c.

© March 2023