The Château de Brest is the oldest monument in the town, it is located at the mouth of the river Penfeld which is in the centre of the road stead of Brest. The road stead of Brest is one of the largest road stead in the world. It is said that the site has over 1700 years worth of history right up to the present day its role was a military stronghold and a strategic location of the highest importance. This makes the Château de Brest the oldest castle in the world that is still in use, the structure of the castle has been continuously rebuilt over the past centuries in order to defend against land and sea attacks.
The castle was heavily damaged during the Second World War, during the siege of Brest in August – September 1944. The castle was restored in its traditional manner and is one ODF the major monuments of Brittany. When Brest was captured by the Germans on 19th June 1940, the fortress was over taken by troops, this lead to the Paradis serving as a prison. The Germans built underground works into the cliff which the castle could be accessed from.
After the Germans retreated following D-Day, Fortress Brest (as it was called) became one of the pockets of German resistance. In August 1944 the allied troops arrived to help Brest’s defensive wall. The castle was attacked again in September and the bridge pont National was destroyed the day after the attacks started. The Pont National was replaced by Pont de Recouvrance; this siege of the town lasted 43 days when finally fell to the allied forces. The scars of the damage still appear on the castle and the barracks which were built by the Nazis have been destroyed and will not be rebuilt.
Where it is located is considered the perfect location as it is well protected by a narrow road stead but can allow ships to turn and move, and forms a natural harbour. It is a small inland sea that is capable of receiving large fleets and offers a protected haven for ships. Since the castle was built on a rocky outcrop on a cliff it overlooks the sea and can control access to the lower reaches of the Elorn.
The castle is also home of collections from the Musée national de la Marine. Featuring ship models, sculptures, paintings and various things related to the development of prison, the military port, the naval constructions and maritime life of Brest. Initially some of the collections came from the Second World War but were transferred into the tours Paradis in 1958.
There are many places to stay nearby - you could find one of the many beautiful Gites in Brittany . Plenty are close by the Château de Brest, so you can avoid all the tourists and visit it when you feel like it.
The castle was heavily damaged during the Second World War, during the siege of Brest in August – September 1944. The castle was restored in its traditional manner and is one ODF the major monuments of Brittany. When Brest was captured by the Germans on 19th June 1940, the fortress was over taken by troops, this lead to the Paradis serving as a prison. The Germans built underground works into the cliff which the castle could be accessed from.
After the Germans retreated following D-Day, Fortress Brest (as it was called) became one of the pockets of German resistance. In August 1944 the allied troops arrived to help Brest’s defensive wall. The castle was attacked again in September and the bridge pont National was destroyed the day after the attacks started. The Pont National was replaced by Pont de Recouvrance; this siege of the town lasted 43 days when finally fell to the allied forces. The scars of the damage still appear on the castle and the barracks which were built by the Nazis have been destroyed and will not be rebuilt.
Where it is located is considered the perfect location as it is well protected by a narrow road stead but can allow ships to turn and move, and forms a natural harbour. It is a small inland sea that is capable of receiving large fleets and offers a protected haven for ships. Since the castle was built on a rocky outcrop on a cliff it overlooks the sea and can control access to the lower reaches of the Elorn.
The castle is also home of collections from the Musée national de la Marine. Featuring ship models, sculptures, paintings and various things related to the development of prison, the military port, the naval constructions and maritime life of Brest. Initially some of the collections came from the Second World War but were transferred into the tours Paradis in 1958.
There are many places to stay nearby - you could find one of the many beautiful Gites in Brittany . Plenty are close by the Château de Brest, so you can avoid all the tourists and visit it when you feel like it.
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