Blaye Citadel - Gironde - France 3 by Kordouane

Photography • Historical • posted on Mar 29, 2018

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Description

The presence of a rocky spur overlooking the Gironde estuary by 35 metres explains the early establishment of fortifications at the site of the present citadel. If it seems probable that the site was chosen by the Romans to build the "castrum" of Blavye, it is only towards the viie century that the presence of a first castle is attested, this one appearing as one of the punctual residences of the young king of Aquitaine Caribert II (which is buried in the old basilica Saint-Romain). There is little documentation of what happened to the castle when the ruler died in 632; it was just discovered that it was still standing in the 13th century when Wulgrin Rudel became Lord of Blaye. The latter had the old Merovingian structures demolished in order to build a modern fortified castle instead, capable of defending the town if necessary. Remodelled several times, the castle of Rudel is still in enough good state in 1685 that the general commissioner of the fortifications Sébastien Vauban decides to integrate it in the citadel of which he proposes the construction.