History of Coucy Castle, from the House of Coucy to its destruction in 1917
Coucy: the tallest keep in the West and its destruction in 1917
Built by Enguerrand III in the 13th century, Coucy Castle boasted a 54-metre keep, destroyed by German forces using explosives in 1917. The story of a vanished giant.
Editorial journal · Carte des Châteaux ·
Before 1917, visitors travelled from far and wide to admire a 54-metre-high, 31-metre-diameter tower at Coucy, in the Aisne department—one of the most imposing ever built in the West. It was blown up by German forces during their retreat to the Hindenburg Line. What remains of the castle tells the story of the power of one of France’s greatest medieval seigneuries, as well as one of the most controversial episodes of heritage lost during the Great War.
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