Located in the Pyrénées-Orientales, the castle of Collioure is an old fortress of the seventh century rebuilt between the twelfth and sixteenth century and today property of the County Council. Classified as an historic monument, it is the last medieval royal castle still present in France with the castle of Vincennes, in Île-de-France.
Many times overhauled, the castle of Collioure was particularly affected by the struggles between France and Spain and was raised on the remains of a former Gallo-Roman castrum. It was built between 1276 and 1344 to accommodate the court of the Kings of Majorca.
In the 15th century, the site welcomed a garrison and saw its military aspect intensify under Charles V. At the end of the seventeenth century, Vauban leads an elevation of the walls and a redevelopment of the three bastions, with the creation of a half-moon. Transformed into prison in 1939, the castle became the first disciplinary camp for refugees from the Retirada at the end of the Spanish Civil War.
Today, the castle of Collioure hosts many cultural events such as concerts or guided tours. An MP3, Listen to see, has also been developed, to relive the testimony of the fishermen of the city during the walk of the ramparts.
