Château de Roquebrune-Cap-Martin

Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France

Conrad I, Count of Vintimiglia, built the castle in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in 970 to defend the Western border of his feudal domain from attack by hordes of Saracens that rampaged around the area. Initially the entire village was encompassed by the castle. The keep's military strength was reinforced in the 15th century by the Grimaldi family. In 1808  the castle was sold as a Bien National to five Roquebrune inhabitants. A century later, in 1911, it was sold again – this time to wealthy Englishman Sir William Ingram, who set about renovating it but eventually gave it to the town of Roquebrune in 1921. The castle overlooks the medieval village and its atmospheric alleyways, sometimes carved out of the rock itself.

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Details

Founded: 970 AD
Category: Castles and fortifications in France
Historical period: Frankish kingdoms (France)

More Information

www.rcm-tourisme.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Don Folz (3 months ago)
A chateau built in the 10th century as the village keep and fortress. Panoramic views of the Mediterranean, Menton, du Cap-Martin, and Monaco. 5 euro adult entrance. Very well maintained toilets. C'est magnifique!
Румяна Стоянова (3 months ago)
Remains of an old chateau, well preserved and with incredible views of the surrounding area. You can read about the history of the area from the information panels. Don`t miss it.
Whitney Ranger (4 months ago)
For only 5 Euro, the castle is amazing, the town is even more magnificent and you could spend hours exploring the little alleys. If your in the area, you must visit! The parking is safe and cheap, plus free overnight! It's also overlooked by cameras. Just a few steps up and you'll reach the village and castle where you can see incredible views over the ocean!
Ionela Roelake (6 months ago)
Oh, wow, what a lovely experience! The surroundings are just stunning, pics don't do it justice! We walked up there on a very hot day, the walk was challenging (for us, the parents, our teenager kids were fine),but was all worth it! Found a lovely Caffè and had lunch (reasonable and lovely service) then explored the castle. I'd do it again, despite the 700(maybe?) stairs. You need to be fit if you are planning to walk from the bottom of the cliff! Would recommend it.
MTL (8 months ago)
Great views. Well worth the climb and the entrance fee.
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Sigmaringen Castle

Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.

The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.

These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.