The Château de Termes is a ruined castle near the village of Termes, in the Aude department of France. It is built on a promontory and defended by deep ravines on three sides. Its ruins cover about 16,000 square meters.
The Cathar Ramon de Termes held it. It fell to Simon de Montfort after a four-month siege, from August to November 1210, during the Albigensian Crusade. Raymond later regained it, then lost it to the King of France. It was rebuilt as a royal garrison and was one of the "sons of Carcassonne" that guarded the border with Aragon.
Brigands took it, and a royal decree had it demolished with gunpowder in 1653 and 1654. It has been a classified monument since 1989 and belongs to the commune.

Comments