Château des Rohan (Mutzig)
Encyclopedia
The Château des Rohan ("Castle of the Rohan") is a former castle and weapons factory now serving as a museum and cultural centre in the French
town of Mutzig
, Bas-Rhin
, Alsace
. The castle, whose structure goes back to the 13th century, belonged to several families of noblemen and bishops of Strasbourg
before being turned into a rifle
factory after the French Revolution
. The castle is most famously associated with the House of Rohan and the Chassepot
rifle.
. The medieval castle, a Wasserburg (i.e. surrounded by a moat
derived from a canal) was heavily destroyed by the Swedes
in 1632, during the Thirty Years' War
, after having already been assaulted by Ernst von Mansfeld
's troops in 1622. The city's and castle's masters, during these times marked by frequent battles and rivalries between feudal
families, were alternatively and sometimes simultaneously the bishops of Strasbourg
and the House of Zweibrücken
.
The castle as it now appears is a Baroque
structure. It was inaugurated in its present shape in 1673 to serve as the residence of the bishop of Strasbourg, Franz Egon of Fürstenberg
. Fürstenberg was succeeded by his brother Wilhelm Egon
. After the family of Rohan took over the bishopric of Strasbourg, the castle served as a residence to the dukes Armand Gaston
, François-Armand, Louis Constantin
and Louis René Édouard de Rohan
, between 1704 and 1790. However, after the completion of the Palais Rohan of Strasbourg
in 1742, the château, which had already been rivalled by the residences in Saverne
, became only of secondary importance to the family. Mutzig's castle was disowned and pillaged during the French Revolution
. In 1799, it was bought by the arms manufacturers, brothers Coulaux of Klingenthal, Bas-Rhin
, who, on 20. April 1801, opened their weapons factory in its walls. The factory ran until the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870. It is there, in the Manufacture d'Armes de Mutzig (also known as Manufacture impériale de Mutzig) that the native of Mutzig, Antoine Alphonse Chassepot
fabricated some of his famous rifles
, one of the most advanced fireweapons of its time. The castle was fortified again by the Germans in 1893. Today, the castle houses a cinema and a library as well as, since 1996, the municipal museum Musée régional d'armes (previously, since 1977, the Musée des Rohan) displaying a vast collection of historic rifles.
The castle is listed as a Monument historique
since 1976 by the French Ministry of Culture.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
town of Mutzig
Mutzig
Mutzig is a commune located at the entrance of the Bruche River Valley, in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace, in north-eastern France. the commune of Mutzig is on the Route des Vins d'Alsace.-History:...
, Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin
Bas-Rhin is a department of France. The name means "Lower Rhine". It is the more populous and densely populated of the two departments of the Alsace region, with 1,079,013 inhabitants in 2006.- History :...
, Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. The castle, whose structure goes back to the 13th century, belonged to several families of noblemen and bishops of Strasbourg
Archbishops of Strasbourg
These persons were bishop, archbishop or prince-bishop of the Archbishopric of Strasbourg:*Amandus*Justinus von Straßburg*Maximinus von Straßburg*Valentinus*Solarius*Arbogast*Florentius*Ansoaldus*Biulfus*Magnus von Straßburg*Aldo*Garoinus*Landbertus...
before being turned into a rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
factory after the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. The castle is most famously associated with the House of Rohan and the Chassepot
Chassepot
The Chassepot, officially known as Fusil modèle 1866, was a bolt action military breechloading rifle, famous as the arm of the French forces in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and 1871. It replaced an assortment of Minie muzzleloading rifles many of which were converted in 1867 to breech loading...
rifle.
History
Mutzig's castle's history goes back to the fortification of the town in 1274 by Rudolph of HabsburgRudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
. The medieval castle, a Wasserburg (i.e. surrounded by a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
derived from a canal) was heavily destroyed by the Swedes
Swedes
Swedes are a Scandinavian nation and ethnic group native to Sweden, mostly inhabiting Sweden and the other Nordic countries, with descendants living in a number of countries.-Etymology:...
in 1632, during the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, after having already been assaulted by Ernst von Mansfeld
Ernst von Mansfeld
Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld , was a German military commander during the early years of the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:...
's troops in 1622. The city's and castle's masters, during these times marked by frequent battles and rivalries between feudal
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
families, were alternatively and sometimes simultaneously the bishops of Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
and the House of Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken
Palatinate-Zweibrücken is a former state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Zweibrücken.-Overview:→ History before 1394 see main article County of Zweibrücken→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz...
.
The castle as it now appears is a Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
structure. It was inaugurated in its present shape in 1673 to serve as the residence of the bishop of Strasbourg, Franz Egon of Fürstenberg
Franz Egon of Fürstenberg
Franz Egon of Fürstenberg , bishop of Strasbourg, was the elder son of Egon VIII of Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg , who served with distinction as a Bavarian general in the Thirty Years' War....
. Fürstenberg was succeeded by his brother Wilhelm Egon
William Egon of Fürstenberg
William Egon of Fürstenberg was a German clergyman who was bishop of Strasbourg.He began his career as a soldier in the French service....
. After the family of Rohan took over the bishopric of Strasbourg, the castle served as a residence to the dukes Armand Gaston
Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan
Armand de Rohan was a French churchman and politician. He became bishop of Strasbourg in 1704, Cardinal in 1712 then grand almoner of France in 1713 and member of the regency council in 1722....
, François-Armand, Louis Constantin
Louis Constantin de Rohan (1697–1779)
Louis César Constantin de Rohan was a French prelate of the House of Rohan.- Life :A son of Charles III de Rohan, cousin of Armand Gaston Maximilien de Rohan, he was at first a naval officer before setting out on an ecclesiastical career...
and Louis René Édouard de Rohan
Louis René Édouard, cardinal de Rohan
Louis René Édouard de Rohan known as the Cardinal de Rohan , prince de Rohan-Guéméné, was a French bishop of Strasbourg , politician, cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, and cadet of the Rohan family...
, between 1704 and 1790. However, after the completion of the Palais Rohan of Strasbourg
Palais Rohan, Strasbourg
The Palais Rohan is one of the most important buildings in the city of Strasbourg in Alsace, France. It represents not only the high point of local baroque architecture, according to widespread opinion among art historians, but has also housed three of the most important museums in the city since...
in 1742, the château, which had already been rivalled by the residences in Saverne
Rohan Castle
Rohan Castle , also known as Château Neuf , is a Neoclassicist monumental building in the city of Saverne in Alsace, France...
, became only of secondary importance to the family. Mutzig's castle was disowned and pillaged during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. In 1799, it was bought by the arms manufacturers, brothers Coulaux of Klingenthal, Bas-Rhin
Klingenthal, Bas-Rhin
For the ski resort in Germany, see Klingenthal VogtlandkreisKlingenthal is a hamlet in the Bas-Rhin department of France, and is divided between the communes of Boersch and Ottrott...
, who, on 20. April 1801, opened their weapons factory in its walls. The factory ran until the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
in 1870. It is there, in the Manufacture d'Armes de Mutzig (also known as Manufacture impériale de Mutzig) that the native of Mutzig, Antoine Alphonse Chassepot
Antoine Alphonse Chassepot
Antoine Alphonse Chassepot was a French inventor and gunsmith. He was born in 1833 at Mutzig in Alsace.He invented the breech-loading, center-fire needle gun rifle known as the Chassepot. It was adopted by the French army in 1866 for which he received the Cross of the Légion d'honneur and a...
fabricated some of his famous rifles
Chassepot
The Chassepot, officially known as Fusil modèle 1866, was a bolt action military breechloading rifle, famous as the arm of the French forces in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and 1871. It replaced an assortment of Minie muzzleloading rifles many of which were converted in 1867 to breech loading...
, one of the most advanced fireweapons of its time. The castle was fortified again by the Germans in 1893. Today, the castle houses a cinema and a library as well as, since 1996, the municipal museum Musée régional d'armes (previously, since 1977, the Musée des Rohan) displaying a vast collection of historic rifles.
The castle is listed as a Monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
since 1976 by the French Ministry of Culture.