Many medieval ruins and castles are still standing around the world. Growing with antiquity, these archaic structures still portray the importance of the past in our world today. This isn’t just through architecture but in the world’s development. One of these marvelous structures is the Château de Belcastel, located in the village of Belcastel, specifically in the Aveyron region of France. The medieval castle is overlooking the north bank of the Aveyron river, while its downstream travels from Rodez. The different areas of the castle were constructed at varying times, with the oldest in the 9th century. Construction is believed to have started on the site of an enormous rock. It continued to develop with assistance from the Belcastel family. The castle also contains many additional aesthetic details, such as chapels, courtyards, and even a prison. For many decades after its construction, it was the residence of the Saunhac family. The Château is one castle out of twenty-three in Aveyron. They later joined together to create a tourist attraction known as La Route des Seigneurs du Rouergue.
In 1928, the French Ministry of Culture declared the castle a historic monument. In 1974, Fernand Pouillon, a well-known French architect found the castle in ruins. While feeling its emanating beauty and potential, he was determined to reconstruct the castle to what it once was. It is believed to have been abandoned since the 17th century. Pouillon started the restoration of the historical fortress by hand, with the assistance of ten stained glass experts and at least a dozen stonemasons. In the span of eight years, the castle’s restoration was complete. This was and still is praised because of the size of the project, the absence of machinery, and the dangerous area located around the castle. Feeling like he could do more, he restored the village. Today, it was recognized with the award as one of the most beautiful villages in France, known as Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Because he brought life back into the fortress, it became his private residence area until his passing in July 1986.
In the early 2000s, the château was acquired by owners of the AFA Gallery in New York. The museum opened the castle as a historical spectacle and a gallery to the public. To add to the historical value, the interior of the castle is possessed with numerous medieval relics and artifacts. The art galleries were also placed inside of it. All this was accomplished while still preventing the disturbance of the medieval architecture and castle. Heidi Leigh, the owner of the fortress, created the Heritage of Fernand Pouillon Association in 2017. This allowed the friends, fans, and even family of Pouillon to make projects about architecture and art. The French Ministry of Culture applauded her efforts of spreading art to France through the Château de Belcastel and AFA Gallery in the same year by providing her with a medal. The castle will forever hold the medieval history of France and the importance that it entails.
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