Montmedy

citadel

Montmedy

During the French Revolution, just three days before the troops reached Orval (which is in Belgium) the monks of Orval under the guidance of 3 or 4 older monks brought the Templar treasure to the fortified city of Montmedy in the North of France on 7 Oxcarts. Montmedy is located about 20 kilometers from Orval, and an oxcart can travel a maximum of about 20 kilometers per day.

When the soldiers didn’t find the Treasure in the monastery of Orval they burned it to the ground. The remains can still be found and visited. It is still a pilgrim site of considerable importance.

Once in Montmedy the treasure was brought, via a house opposite of the Church, into a network of underground tunnels. It was agreed that the location of the treasure should not be put in writing but was kept safe by 3 Cistercian monks. Eventually the monks died and the exact location of the treasure remained unknown to this day.

The King of France was at that time also fleeing to Montmedy to safeguard himself for the revolutionairs. A detachment of Austrian soldiers was waiting for him to defend the city of Montmedy once the King would have arrived. Due to unforeseen circumstances the King never reached Montmedy but was arrested in a town about 60 kilometers from Montmedy.