The town of Lourdes is located in the occidental region of Occitania, in the Hautes-Pyrénées department. This geographical situation got the town to become a strong fortified enclave of the county of Bigorre in the Middle Age. The castle date back to year 778 and through its history suffer many sieges, among them the one of the forces of Carlomagno, and it never was defeated.

In the 17th century the castle started to function as the royal prison and after the French Revolution it continued functioning as State prison until early 20th century. In 1921 it became Musée Pyrénéen, the most important daily life and art museum in the region of the Hautes-Pyrénées.

You can obtain more info in:

Château Fort et Musée Pyrénéen