The Château de Montmorency is a former castle in the commune of Montigny-en-Ostrevent. Today, it comprises a farm, a restaurant and an equestrian centre.
The castle on this site probably dates from before 1150. Around 1130, Robert I, named Montigny, built a stone tower on a motte created on marshy, wooded land. Its defences were strengthened over time. In the 13th century, the construction of an entrance between two towers provided scope for crossfire. It was partly destroyed during the Hundred Years' War.
The castle stayed the property of the Montigny family until Robert VII de Montigny was killed at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. The property then went to the Hornes and later the Montmorency family. These families rebuilt the castle into a stately home rather than a military building. In the 16th century, the Montmorencys added a brick top floor, used as a dovecote, to the gatehouse. In 1570, the castle was confiscated by Philip II of Spain from Floris de Montmorency. In 1598, it was returned to Floris' sister, Eléonore de Montmorency. The ownership of the Montmorencys was disputed, so it was sold to Marguerite de Lalaing. who gave the castle in 1626 to the canonesses of Berlaymont. In 1789, during the French Revolution, the castle was declared state property and sold in 1793 to the Dovillers family, who converted it into a farm.
According to the minutes of the Historic Commission of the Nord département, in October 1928 the Commission agreed to request the classification of the gatehouse as a monument historique. The entrance flanked by two towers has been listed since 1929 by the French Ministry of Culture.
In 1985, l’Établissement et service d’aide par le travail (ESAT) de Montigny moved into the castle. ESAT provides vocational training to handicapped workers, including catering and work with horses. The castle is freely open to visitors.
References:Rosenborg Palace was built in the period 1606-34 as Christian IV’s summerhouse just outside the ramparts of Copenhagen. Christian IV was very fond of the palace and often stayed at the castle when he resided in Copenhagen, and it was here that he died in 1648. After his death, the palace passed to his son King Frederik III, who together with his queen, Sophie Amalie, carried out several types of modernisation.
The last king who used the place as a residence was Frederik IV, and around 1720, Rosenborg was abandoned in favor of Frederiksborg Palace.Through the 1700s, considerable art treasures were collected at Rosenborg Castle, among other things items from the estates of deceased royalty and from Christiansborg after the fire there in 1794.
Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.