The King's castle, the oldest prison in France

This building, formerly the Via Palace, is the oldest prison in France. This palace, built in the 14th century by Pierre Via, brother-in-law of Pope John XXII, born in Cahors, was refurbished in the 17th century when it became a prison from 1790.

The prison was partly rebuilt between 1829 and 1835 by the departmental architect Charles Hector Malo.

It offers three protected elements.

First, the old lighthouse which served as a landmark for boatmen to guide them to the port and which was classified in 1922. It is now dismantled.

The tower of the King's castle, listed in 1925 and the old Palace, listed in 1996. These two elements are, since, 2019, classified and registered with the heritage

More than 200 years of history as a departmental prison, it still held sixty inmates in 2006 and closed its doors in July 2012, the twenty or so inmates still present, is transferred to the prison of Montauban.

 

The castle of the King

Rue du Château du Roi

46000 Cahors

Tel: 05 65 53 20 65

 

https://www.cahorsvalleedulot.com/patrimoine/chateau-du-roi/

 


To go further....

Visiter Cahors

Blottie au coeur d'un large méandre du Lot, Cahors offre un concentré monumental qui couvre plus de 2000 ans d'histoire. Des vestiges galloromains à la naissance de Léon Gambetta, de l'antique Divona Cadurcorum à nos jours, l'histoire a façonné les lieux de Cahors, donnant à cette ville un charme indéfinissable.
Le puissant pont Valentré, inscrit au patrimoine mondial de l'Humanité, vaut à lui tout seul un détour par Cahors, sans oublier les saveurs de la gastronomie locale et le célèbre vignoble.

Ce guide propose un historique de la ville et une description des principaux monuments. Il comprend de nombreuses illustrations, une liste d'adresses utiles, trois plans détaillés et trois circuits de visite pour ne rien manquer des richesses cadurciennes.

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