What is the secret of the fortress that no one has ever managed to conquer: Ancient and proud Château de Brese

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Modern Europe is rich in preserved medieval castles. Under their ancient mysterious vaults, ancient legends come to life and echoes of past glory are heard. Brese Castle stands out against the backdrop of these majestic historical monuments. At first glance, the modest building contains a host of fascinating secrets in its foundation. The endlessly long underground labyrinth is full of unexplored corners. The ancient walls reliably keep their secrets and reveal them only to the most daring explorers. What is hiding there, in one of the largest underground fortresses?

Château de Brézé - a castle of relatively small size by the standards of Europe. This is the hereditary possession of the Lords de Brese. The castle is surrounded by a very imposing moat, which is typical for such buildings. But the foundation of this beautiful building hides more than three kilometers of an underground labyrinth. These mysterious underground passages and galleries were built during the 8-9 centuries. Most of these tunnels have survived to this day.

The castle was rebuilt several times. In the 15th century, an eighteen-meter ditch was dug along the perimeter. The owners also built a Renaissance mansion and utility room. In the 19th century, the castle acquired its current neo-Gothic appearance. In the seventies of the last century, it was carefully reconstructed and entered the list of historical monuments in France. The owners monitor its condition and allow tourists to visit it.

There is something to see. The view from there is simply stunningly beautiful. The castle was built to be inaccessible to conquerors. Historians suggest that it was originally built to protect against Viking raids, which were quite frequent at the time. The Brese family has always treated this property with due respect and trepidation, monitoring its condition.

A thorough reconstruction was carried out in the 15th century. The castle was even more reliably fortified and turned into a garrison. A little later, the building was rebuilt again, giving it more affectionate features of the Renaissance. As a result of all these works, the castle became unique. His defensive abilities became unprecedented, and the secret tunnels practically made him invincible.

The system of these underground tunnels is simply a real miracle. Stairs, mines, bunkers, secret rooms were intertwined there in a unique way, where one could instantly disappear in the event of a castle siege. Everything was foreseen in these tunnels: there were bedrooms, a kitchen, a stable, and warehouses. The natural coolness helped to keep food there for an infinitely long time. The castle stands on a limestone cliff, which made it easy to carve a dungeon.

In addition, the underground passages were designed in such a way that it was easy for the defenders to recapture the castle from the attackers. There were very narrow passages where people could only squeeze through one at a time. There were places for archers, from where it was easy to hit the enemy. Living rooms for an uninformed person were not available at all. The most amazing thing is that everything was thought out so perfectly that the rooms were well lit. Despite its deep location underground, special holes allowed sunlight to penetrate inside. It is not surprising that such an impregnable fortress has never been conquered.

Medieval castles beckon us with their majestic beauty and promise exciting discoveries. Read our article on the secrets of the most fashionable landmark of the Enlightenment: the insane creation of the architectural genius Desert de Retz.