Château de Roquefixade

The Roquefixade Castle is a ruined castle in the department of Ariège.

Location

The small village Roquefixade situated about ten kilometers ( route ) west of Lavelanet. Your name refers to the castle from its position: it stands on a steep rocky hill about 150 meters above the valley. The origin of the name comes from the Catalan roca fisada expression, the " split rock " means. Only the town was named after, later, the castle, which stands as a monument historique since 1995 under monument protection.

History

A first mention of the castle dates from the year 1034. Maybe during the Albigensian Crusade, the castle was besieged and destroyed, but later rebuilt. In 1278 the castle was placed under royal administration and housed a garrison. 1463 the ownership of the Gaston IV, Count of Foix was passed.

The castle remained until 1632 exist. At that time encamped Louis XIII. in the region on his way to Toulouse, where he was the beheading of Henri II de Montmorency, who had risen against Richelieu attend. Louis XIII. took the opportunity to destroy the castle. It was not rebuilt and served the residents of the village of the same name as a quarry.