According to written accounts, traces of a primitive castle could be found at the beginning of the 10th century, when it dominated the first settlement of the bourg castral. Two successive ditches in the 12th century and in 1507, followed by the laying of the railway in 1857, completely isolated it from this hill. The fortress, which occupies about 125 acres, was once divided into two distinct parts, separated by two other ditches dug into the rock: the ‘Châtel-devant’ and the ‘Châtel-Derrière’. During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Châtel-Devant was abandoned in favour of the Châtel-Derrière. Composed of 3 towers, the castle had a defensive and functional role.
Over four centuries, from 1397 to 1793, the castle was the residence of the Counts of Montbéliard and Dukes of Wurtemberg. Over the years, the building's appearance was altered to a more residential appearance with the construction of the Henriette and Frédéric towers. The end of the 16th century is marked by the appearance of Wurtemberg architect, Heinrich Schickhardt who built the Hôtel du Bailli (the bailiff's lodging) or Logis des Gentilshommes, the arsenal and the hydraulic machine. The almost complete reconstruction of the Counts’ residence and the filling in of the large ditch was not finished until 1751 Only the two towers, Henriette and Frédéric, and the spur-shaped north tower have survived.
Following the French Revolution and reintegration of the Pays de Montbéliard into France, the castle buildings were handed over to military authorities, who contributed to the reconstruction of many buildings on the esplanade. In 1880, the central pillar was replaced with a scrolled pediment.
Handed back to the town of Montbéliard by the army in 1933, the castle is now a museum which showcases significant natural history and archaeological collections.
The castle’s museum is undergoing restoration and is due toreopen in December 2024.
The Museum
A spectacular makeover of the Montbéliard Württemberg castle is currently underway, to give the building a new lease on life by creating an immersive and exciting tour to captivate future visitors. The first unveiling of this ambitious transformation, scheduled for completion in 2030, will be the historic circuit housed in the Henriette and Frédéric towers, and completely redesigned with a new scenography. Twice as many artworks and objects are to be seen in this modernized version of the historical tour, which will also offer enhanced accessibility for people with reduced mobility. To discover all the details, we invite you to join us at the end of 2024, when Montbéliard lights up with its famous Christmas Lights !
