Nomeny Castle

Nomeny Castle, locally known as Château de Nomeny, lies in the center of the village with the same name, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in France.

Nomeny Castle was probably built towards the end of the 11th century. It was first mentioned in 1120 when Étienne de Bar, Bishop of Metz, took possession of the castle. It then consisted of a rectangular moated castle flanked by round and D-shaped corner towers. It remained episcopal property until the mid-16th century.

Between 1335 and 1361 the bishops of Metz fortified the town and the castle became part of the city walls. In 1366 bishop Thierry V Bayer de Boppard had a new residential Gothic castle built inside the walls of the old fortress. This changed the old fortress a great deal as the sloping courtyard was levelled, thus burying some parts of the old fortress under 4 meters of earth.

In 1440 Nomeny Castle was adapted to the advances in artillery by bishop Conrad II Bayer de Boppard.

The bishops of Metz resided only occasionally in Nomeny Castle and in 1548 it was sold to Nicholas I, Duke of Lorraine, by his nephew the cardinal Jean de Lorraine. The castle stayed in the family because in 1612 Francoise de Lorraine sold the castle to her nephew Henry II, Duke of Lorraine. His widow, Margherita Gonzaga, came to live here between 1624 and 1629. After she left it was gradually abandoned.

In 1636, during the Thirty Years' War, Cardinal Richelieu had the town's defenses, of which the castle was a part, dismantled.

In 1663 Louis XIV of France stayed one night in the residential Gothic castle and signed here the Treaty of Nomeny with Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine. In 1667 was Nomeny Castle dismantled; walls were torn down and the towers were undermined to make them collapse. The residential castle was abandoned and the whole complex fell to ruin.

During the 18th century the castle ruin was used as a quarry and in 1742 the Gothic castle was demolished and the interior of the castle ruin was turned into gardens for the locals. Even in  the 1920s the castle ruin was used as a source for cheap building materials to rebuild the town.

At present Nomeny Castle can only be visited on special days, like National Heritage Days. It can however easily be seen from the public road. A nice ruin in a quiet rural village.

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Nomeny Castle

Nomeny Castle, locally known as Château de Nomeny, lies in the center of the village with the same name, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in France.

Nomeny Castle was probably built towards the end of the 11th century. It was first mentioned in 1120 when Étienne de Bar, Bishop of Metz, took possession of the castle. It then consisted of a rectangular moated castle flanked by round and D-shaped corner towers. It remained episcopal property until the mid-16th century.

Between 1335 and 1361 the bishops of Metz fortified the town and the castle became part of the city walls. In 1366 bishop Thierry V Bayer de Boppard had a new residential Gothic castle built inside the walls of the old fortress. This changed the old fortress a great deal as the sloping courtyard was levelled, thus burying some parts of the old fortress under 4 meters of earth.

In 1440 Nomeny Castle was adapted to the advances in artillery by bishop Conrad II Bayer de Boppard.

The bishops of Metz resided only occasionally in Nomeny Castle and in 1548 it was sold to Nicholas I, Duke of Lorraine, by his nephew the cardinal Jean de Lorraine. The castle stayed in the family because in 1612 Francoise de Lorraine sold the castle to her nephew Henry II, Duke of Lorraine. His widow, Margherita Gonzaga, came to live here between 1624 and 1629. After she left it was gradually abandoned.

In 1636, during the Thirty Years' War, Cardinal Richelieu had the town's defenses, of which the castle was a part, dismantled.

In 1663 Louis XIV of France stayed one night in the residential Gothic castle and signed here the Treaty of Nomeny with Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine. In 1667 was Nomeny Castle dismantled; walls were torn down and the towers were undermined to make them collapse. The residential castle was abandoned and the whole complex fell to ruin.

During the 18th century the castle ruin was used as a quarry and in 1742 the Gothic castle was demolished and the interior of the castle ruin was turned into gardens for the locals. Even in  the 1920s the castle ruin was used as a source for cheap building materials to rebuild the town.

At present Nomeny Castle can only be visited on special days, like National Heritage Days. It can however easily be seen from the public road. A nice ruin in a quiet rural village.

Gallery

Details
Hits: 5318