Gombervaux Castle
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Historical
According to legend, the first castle of Gombervaux was the work of the four sons Aymon, then a hunting lodge of Charlemagne. In 1335-1341, Vaucouleurs became dependent on the King of France. In 1338, Philippe VI of Valois granted the fief of Gombervaux to one of his faithful knights, Geoffroy de NANCY; this one builds the current castle which then becomes border post with Lorraine, vassal of the Holy Roman Empire. Geoffroy becomes castellan of Vaucouleurs, adviser to the king and bailiff of Chaumont, but he commits atrocities and his property is confiscated from him. He recovered Gombervaux in 1356 but he no longer held official office. After his death, the lordship of Gombervaux passed into the hands of the Vernancourt family and then to the Salles who kept it throughout the XVIth century.
In 1617, the great lords of the kingdom rose up against Marie de Medici and her minister Concini; occupied by the insurgents, the castle was liberated by the Valcolorois after thirteen days of siege. In 1769, the lords of Mailliart left Gombervaux for Tusey; the castle of Gombervaux is used as a stone quarry. It was rented and then sold in 1843 to landowners; it then serves as outbuildings for the farm.
The significant deterioration suffered by the castle led to the creation of the Gombervaux Association in 1989: major works have saved dungeons and buildings.
In 1994, the site was classified as a Historic Monument.
Description of the castle
A league from Vaucouleurs, the castle stands in a valley surrounded by its water moats. Of quadrangular plan (52 mx 51 m), it is defended at each angle by a circular tower pierced with arches with stirrups. On the south facade is the porch tower which defended the entrance. The non-flanking keep has a third point arc which hides the stunner and the harrow. This tower, about 22 m high, retained its aliasing.
In the courtyard, there are two asymmetrical houses, one of which rests on an arched room. These curtain walls had small windows and fireplaces, one of which, monumental, is in the great hall or state hall.
The castle is built in two materials: one yellow, a stone resistant to water and erosion and the other, a white limestone, much softer.
The Château de Gombervaux is one of the rare medieval remains in Lorraine that is still well preserved.
+Member association in charge of the organization
Association Gombervaux
10 avenue Raymond Poincaré
55140 VAUCOULEURS
Coming sessions of heritage restoration camps
- Carpentry and forge internship in Gombervaux from 19/08/2023 to 27/08/2023
- Pedagogy and worksite organization internship - Vaucouleurs from 30/10/2023 to 03/11/2023
- Stained glass course in Gombervaux from 07/08/2023 to 10/08/2023
- Building archeology course at the Château de Gombervaux from 05/06/2023 to 11/06/2023
- INTERNATIONAL WORKSITE Stone cutting and traditional masonry from 16/07/2023 to 27/07/2023
- Session 1 from 10/07/2023 to 13/07/2023