Fort du Hâ

Bordeaux, France

Fort du Hâ Prison was originally built in 1846 within remains of the 15th century Chateau du Hâ. The prison was taken over by German forces soon after the June 1940 occupation of France and used to incarcerate political prisoners.

On 23 October 1941, 20 political prisoners were taken from Fort du Hâ to Camp de Souge and shot in retaliation for the killing of a German military advisor in Bordeaux. The prison continued to operate after the war and was finally closed in 1967 and demolished in 1969 to make way for the French National School for the Judiciary.  All that remains of the old prison now are the two towers and parts of the wall from the 15th century chateau. A memorial plaque on the site is dedicated the memory of the deported internees and resistants of Gironde who died in the Nazi concentration camps 1940–1945.

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Founded: 1846
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in France

More Information

www.frankfallaarchive.org

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3.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Anik Boudjeka (7 months ago)
A former prison located in the city of Bordeaux transformed into a beautiful building, too bad I wasn't able to visit
Nachida Belamri (17 months ago)
Nothing to see except brick walls. Cannot be visited, no interest.
Gilles Foret (2 years ago)
Former fortress and residence based on the 14th century enclosure, whose horseshoe tower is probably one of the rare vestiges, it was built at the end of the Hundred Years War to monitor the people of Bordeaux who were inclined to rebel and ensure a return of the English to Aquitaine. Today the site of the school of the magistracy, only these two towers remain connected by a false bray raised in the 18th century after the demolition of the curtain wall which was behind it. The massive round tower is one of the rare examples of early adaptation to artillery. The large keep with its high roof which was admired by travelers was razed around 1840.
Alvarito Grillo (2 years ago)
Nice, our first contact with Bordeaux
Gilles Foret (2 years ago)
Former fortress and residence based on the 14th century enclosure, whose horseshoe tower is one of the rare vestiges, it was built at the end of the Hundred Years War to monitor the people of Bordeaux who were inclined to rebel and guarantee of a return of the English to Aquitaine. Today the site of the school of the magistracy, only these two towers remain connected by a false bray raised in the 18th century after the demolition of the curtain wall which was behind it. The massive round tower is one of the rare examples of early adaptation to artillery. The large keep with its high roof which was admired by travelers was razed around 1840.
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