Château de Doumely, Medieval castle in Doumely-Bégny, France
Château de Doumely is a castle in Doumely-Bégny featuring four teardrop-shaped defensive towers built from carefully fitted stone and decorative brick work. The structure displays a thoughtful arrangement of fortifications and outbuildings that developed over several construction phases.
The castle was built during the 15th or 16th century on foundations dating back to the 13th century. Major renovations took place in the late 17th century, followed by the addition of outbuildings during the 18th century.
During both World Wars, the castle served multiple roles as an advanced command post, field hospital, and prison, with inscriptions still visible on its walls.
The site is accessible from outside and the towers can be viewed from various angles. Walking around the perimeter allows you to appreciate the construction details and the distinctive tower shapes fully.
The teardrop-shaped towers represent a rare architectural form that emerged during the transition from artillery towers to early bastions. These features developed when fortress design was rapidly evolving to adapt to changing warfare technology.
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