And I bring you again to the Napoléonville or as known today Pontivy or in Breton Pondi ! I have written on the castle before, this one is a complement post on the Château de Pontivy dit Rohan ! There is a lot of history and architecture, even not enough for a couple of posts in my blog. However, each time here is a must to go by it. I will give some additional historical information and pictures ,but there is plenty more in my blog on it.
The Château de Pontivy , aka Château des Rohan, was built in the 15C and 16C by the family of Rohan. The castle belongs to the family of Rohan who stayed there irregularly until the end of the 18C. Thereafter, the castle is successively occupied by the sub-prefecture and the courtroom of the civil court of Pontivy (1800-1839); General Bernadotte, (later King of Sweden current house !) commander-in-chief of the Western Army in charge of combating the Chouans (local farmers who fought against the French revolution for the king and region), installed his headquarters (May-June 1801); The Sisters of Kermaria, who created a school and a boarding schools for girls (1841-1884); A Breton museum founded by Jérôme Le Brigand in the late 19C; La Garde Saint-Ivy (sports Club of the city), the Scouts of France, some local families were housed in the west gallery, then severed in several rooms in the 1st half of the 20C with interruption in 1939-1940. During WWII, the Polish troops and then Autonomists Breton (June-September 1940). In 1953, Madame de Rohan rented it to the town of Pontivy by a lease of 99 years for a symbolic French Franc ,assuming all the charges of the owner. The town of Pontivy is then responsible for the maintenance, restoration and valorisation of the castle. Duke Josselin of Rohan agreed to cede his property to the city which became its owner on 16 October 2015. It still has some private rooms ,but most is open to the public.
The Château Rohan was the place of the declaration of independance that was thwarted in Brittany while the creation of the National Breton Committee by the members of the Nationalist Breton Party in July 1940.
The castle of Pontivy was built in a quadrangular and irregular way of about 90 meters by 75 meters flank by four towers with a circular angle connected with a courtine of 20 meters high very traditional. The gross of its walls can reach in some spot to more than 5 meters in order to protect it from the progress of the artillery and canon balls. It is as it looks more of a fortress!
The Morbihan dept 56 tourist office on the castle: https://www.morbihan.com/pontivy/chateau-des-rohan/tabid/12562/offreid/31171431-8da0-4a40-922b-769f63b62825
The city of Pontivy on the castle: https://ville-pontivy.bzh/decouvrir/histoire-patrimoine/le-chateau-des-rohan/
There you go folks, the wonderful castle alone is worth a visit to Pontivy. Lovely walks all around the castle/fortress indeed, and down its walls and the river canal. Do read my previous posts on Pontivy, and I thank you.
And remember, happy travel, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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