Château d'Héricourt, Medieval castle in Héricourt, France.

Château d'Héricourt is a medieval fortress in Héricourt whose only surviving tower stands on a limestone hill in the northern part of town. The tower is built of irregular yellowish-tan stone blocks, with reddish-brown quoins at the corners and around the openings. It has four levels: paired tall windows with dark wooden frames near the top and three similar pairs below, small square windows offset to the right, and a wide arched wooden doorway at the base. Low red-tiled buildings adjoin it on both sides.

First mentioned in the 12th century, the castle belonged to the house of Montfaucon until 1397 and to the house of Württemberg until 1793. In 1561 troops of Ulrich VI of Württemberg took it; an account lists four towers, a moat, a drawbridge, fourteen furnished rooms, silk hangings with silver bells and silver plate worth five to six thousand francs. It was largely dismantled in the 18th century.

Johann Jakob Froberger, court organist to the Württemberg dukes, stayed at the castle from 1663 until his death in 1667 as guest of Princess Sybilla of Württemberg, whose music teacher he was. The composer of keyboard suites and toccatas thus spent his last years in Héricourt, then held by the house of Württemberg.

This classified historical monument since 1913 welcomes visitors to explore the Spanish Tower and medieval fortification remains. Access may vary depending on the condition of the ruins, so checking ahead for current visiting conditions is advisable.

The 1561 capture account records a cannon taken to Montbéliard and called the Bergère d'Héricourt, so large a man could fit inside it and five feet long. The same account lists fourteen furnished rooms, silk hangings with silver bells and silver plate worth five to six thousand francs.