Prison
Following the extinction of the Lords of Miolans in 1523, ownership of the castle passed to the Counts of Savoy. Count Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy transformed the fortress into a prison. A role it would retain until 1792. During that time, more than 200 prisoners were housed at Miolins.
The castle became known as the Bastille tilt (English: Bastille of the Alps). Its dungeons were called Hell, Purgatory, Paradise, Treasury, and little and great hope. Among the notable persons imprisoned at Miolins were:
- Pietro Giannone, 1736–1738, historian.
- Vincent Rene Lavin, 1767–1786, forger of banknotes.
- François-Marie's Alée, Baron Songy, 1772.
- Marquis de Sade, 1772.
All prisoners were released following the French revolution. The fortress prison was abandoned and allowed to fall into ruin as a symbol of the system of the Ancien Régime.
In 1869, Eugene Alexander Guiter, Prefect of Savoy, privately bought the fortress from the French state and began its restoration. Castle Miolans was classified as a historical monument in May 1944.
Today the castle remains a private property but is open to visitors.
Read more about this topic: Fortress Of Miolans
Famous quotes containing the word prison:
“People have passed through a very dark tunnel at the end of which there was a light of freedom. Unexpectedly they passed through the prison gates and found themselves in a square. They are now free and they don’t know where to go.”
—Václav Havel (b. 1936)