Château de Pau

About this place

The Château de Pau is a castle in the centre of the city of Pau, the capital of Pyrénées-Atlantiques and Béarn. It dominates that quarter of the city. Henry IV of France and Navarre was born here on December 13, 1553, and it was once used by Napoleon as a holiday home during his period of power. The château has been classified as a Monument historique since 1840 by the French Ministry of Culture. Look at the entrances, walls and surrounding terrain together. Their relationship helps explain how the site controlled movement and protected its occupants, while later alterations can reveal the shift from military stronghold to residence or monument.