Fontaine-l'Évêque Castle

En un regard

Le château en bref

Fontaine-l'Évêque Castle, also known as the Château Bivort, was founded in the 13th century by Nicolas de Fontaine, Bishop of Cambrai. It passed by inheritance to the Hennin-Liétard family, then to the Hamal, Herzelle and Rodoan families. Sources note reconstructions and restorations in the 17th and 18th centuries, then, in the 19th century, a restoration by the Bivort de la Saudée family: Clément Bivort de la Saudée, a colliery director, bought the ruins in the 1860s and had the building restored with the architect Auguste Cador. The present appearance derives from that campaign. Before the destructions at the end of the 18th century, the complex comprised two large residential wings, a seven-towered enclosure and dry moats. The château is now used by the commune for cultural and administrative purposes; the interior is not open to the public, but the park is freely accessible.