Pontivy Castle

History of the castle

Pontivy owes its origins with a monastery founded here in VIIe century by Saint Ivy, a British monk. A first castle, normally called the Rooms, property of the Viscounts of Rohan and which seems to have existed in XIIe century, undoubtedly protected the bridge from the Blavet river, mentioned in a charter of 1228. In 1342, Pontivy was attacked and reduced ruins some by William Bohun, count de Northampton, sent by Édouard III of England to the rescue of Jean de Montfort, adversary of the Rohan family arranged on the side of Charles of Blois. In XVe century, the city had recovered a certain prosperity and in 1456, the site of the Rooms was offered to Franciscains for the construction of a convent. In 1486, the duke François II authorized Jean II of Rohan to be made strengthen a new site which dominated the northern part of the city. Built in a drained ditch, the quadrangular enclosure is flanked enormous cylindrical turns of which two only remained. One of them is a very beautiful example of old artillery bastion. The castle was restored and embellished in the medium of XVIe century. When in 1603 the duchy of Rohan was created, Pontivy became the capital about it.