Château d'Hattonchâtel
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description
The château is situated in the commune of Vigneulles-lès-Hattonchâtel, on a rocky promontory high above the plain of Woëvre. In the 9th century, the impressive site was fortified by Hatto, Bishop of Verdun during the Carolingian era. The settlement became the chief stronghold of the bishops and also the location of their mint until 1546. During the Thirty Years' War, the retreating Swedes besieged Vigneulles-lès-Hattonchâtel for two weeks, before ravaging and burning most of it to the ground in 1636. In 1918, the original medieval castle was completely destroyed, but the site was entirely reconstructed after World War I. The work was financed by Belle Skinner, an American benefactor who was also responsible for the reconstruction of other historic monuments in town.