Hello, today I offer you the article “In the footsteps of Vauban”, in order to let you know the fortifications and military facilities designed by this famous engineer in the Ardennes, and more precisely in the tip of the Ardennes à Given.
I. Who is Vauban?
Vauban of his real name, Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban is nor May, the 1st 1633 in Saint-Léger-de-Foucheret. He is a famous engineer et French military architect. He dedicated his life to protect et reform the Kingdom of France. The effectiveness of its fortifications made him a real right arm of Louis XIV. He was named Marshal of France by the King in 1703. .
He designed more than 150 citadels, forts, towns, military and commercial ports and civilian installations under the reign of Louis XIV.
To defend the kingdom and make it invincible against other European powers, he wanted to make France a “square precinct”.
Il dies on March 30 1707 Paris.
"The pré carré is a metaphor used by Vauban to summarize the policy he advised Louis XIV and his ministers to better defend French territory, consisting of rationalizing the defensive system by abandoning isolated strongholds and acquiring others of strategic interest."
But how did Vauban actually implement his strategy for defending French territory at Givet?
II. The legacy and heritage of Vauban in Givet.
Given is located on the border Franco-Belgian, at the confluence of the Meuse and Coal, thus controlling the river traffic et Earth between the Netherlands and France.
a) The fortified heritage of Vauban.
After French conquest de Given in 1680, Vauban was charged by Louis XIV to inspect and to improve existing fortifications. In 1698 he proposed a big project to complete and improve the place, including the unification of the two towns de Given in a fully fortified city, the construction of a fortified camp on Mont d'Haurs, and the wrapping of the ends of Charlemont.
The fort or Charlemont:
Le Fort Charlemont, or citadel of Charlemont, was built by Charles Quint in 1554. He owns more than ten kilometers of ramparts and has an area of 60 hectares : At the end of the 17th century, even if Givet was naturally preserved thanks to its forests and cliffs, it was necessary to strengthen these defenses. Vauban improved and completed the fort's defenses for the first time from 1678 with a Watchtower and Fort Conde. He also built at the foot of the fort a 400 meter long barracks and military hospital. The Fort Charlemont will be enlarged a second time in 1697.
The fortified camp of Mont d'Haurs:
Vauban has drawn in 1697 a large camp entrenched on the plateau of Mont d'Haurs to protect the heights overlooking the right bank of Givet. This camp, designed to accommodate 20 men and 000 horses, included a fmain front protected by three bastions reinforced with half-moons. Only ramparts lined with redoubts are installed by Vauban. The construction of the fortified camp began in 1699, but it remains unfinished. The site will then be abandoned in 1706.
Although some of these projects remained unfinished, they bear witness to the extent of Vauban's intervention in the Val d'Ardenne territory, going beyond fortifications alone to include developments large-scale urban and military. The protection of the other fronts is ensured by the sheer cliffs.
Fort Condé (replacing the Maugis tower):
Le Fort Conde was built around a rock which was originally topped with a Watchtower : the Maugis tower, it was also called the tower Villahermosa. This tower was destroyed by Vauban after the annexation of Givet to France in 1678 which was under the possession of the Spanish. Vauban had the central redoubt carved into the rock, it was included in a larger work from 1725 to 1732.
It is located approximately 500 meters from the Citadel of Charlemont, he had the heavy task of ensuring the defense of the citadel, east side and to ensure the defense of the Fort Rome, west side.
Today the Fort Condé is listed in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments.
The combination of Fort Charlemont, the fortified camp of Mont d'Haurs and Fort Condé provided a defence in depth, controlling both banks of the Meuse and the surrounding heights.
Saint-Hilaire church on the left bank:
The church Saint-Hilaire was destroyed by Marshal de Créquy in 1675. It was rebuilt under the direction of Vauban from 1682 to 1702.
You may not know the passage in “Letter V: Givet” from Journey Volume I de Victor Hugo dating from 1838, in which he mocks the bell tower of the Saint-Hilaire church:
"The brave architect took a square priest's or lawyer's cap. On this square cap, he built an upside-down salad bowl; on the bottom of this salad bowl, which had become a platform, he placed a sugar bowl, on the sugar bowl, a bottle, on the bottle, a sun fitted into the neck by the lower vertical ray; and finally, on the sun, a rooster skewered in the upper vertical ray. Assuming that he took a day to find each of these ideas, he will have rested on the seventh day.
This artist must have been Flemish"
The district and the Notre-Dame church on the right bank:
Notre-Dame Church:
On right bank of Givet, the church Notre-Dame is located in the district of Notre-Dame.
Heavily damaged after the bombing of 1675 by the troops of Marshal de Créquy, it was then rebuilt in 1686. As a result, the bell tower now dominates the Altar Master, a rather exceptional case. The church already existed before the arrival of Vauban, he integrated it into his overall plan of fortifications and urban planning, which aimed to unite the two banks of the Meuse into a single fortified city.
This church houses a painting by “The Crucifixion of the Lord”, work of Rubens ou Van Dyck.
In addition, the Notre-Dame church is located Vauban Square, emphasizing the importance of the military engineer in the development of this district.
The Notre-Dame district:
Vauban has carried out several developments in the Notre-Dame district. in particular by wrapping it in a new fortified enclosure and enlarging it to the Mont d'Haurs plateau. And as part of its second project, the Notre-Dame district has been equipped with barracks and new fortified gates.
The combination of Fort Charlemont, fortified camp of Mont d'Haurs and Fort Conde offered a to the defense in depth, controlling the two banks of the Meuse and the surrounding heights.
b) The military heritage of Givet.
- The City Towers.
It is important to note that on the coat of arms of the town of Givet, we find the three Towers of the town: the Tour Victoire and the Tour Grégoire which are still present in Givet and the Tour Maugis, razed by Vauban who built Fort Condé around this tower..
The Victory Tower:
La Victory Tower, situated at Given, is an ancient three-level cylindrical dungeon dating from the XIV et XNUMXth centuries. Its lower part is built in bricks et blue stones of Givet.
Originally, this tower was part of the stately residence occupying the southwest corner of the Castrum of Givet Saint-HilaireOver time, it has had various functions: it has been a toll tower for boats going down the river, a prison, and after the war it became a museum.
The origin of its current name dates back to the French period. Previously known as “Givet Thour","big thour of Givet" or "thourfort", she was renamed “Victory Tower” in honour of Louis XIV and his armies, victorious over seat of Namur en 1692.
Today, the Victory Tower is a monument, but its interior is only open to the public during the Heritage Days.
The Gregory Tower:
La Gregory Tower is an old Watchtower, it would have been erected at XNUMXth century. Initially, it was called “Saint Gregory Tower”, this in relation to a chapel which was located nearby. It is part of the fortifications of Given, much of which is the work of Vauban. Moreover, he transformed the Gregory Tower as part of his fortification work.
The location of the Tower made it possible to control those approaching Givet. It was therefore a Watchtower intended to monitor traffic river, truck et commercial. From time to time, it also served as a prison.
Although the interior is not open to the public, the tower offers a exceptional panorama on the town of Givet.
It is important to note that the Victory Tower and Gregory Tower are older buildings than Vauban did not build them. However, he integrated them into his defensive system and transformed the Gregory Tower.
- The city gates.
Fortified City under Louis XIV, Given opened on six doors, all equipped with drawbridge and near which there was a bodyguard, sheltering a soldier in charge of the lookout. Today, only three : the Porte de France, the Rancennes Gate and Charcoal Door.
The Rancennes gate:
La Rancennes gate is located near the Rancennes quay. She was part of thefortified enclosure of Mont d'Haurs, built at the end of the Seventeenth century. It was a major element of the defensive system designed by Vauban en 1697. This gate and camp were intended to protect the heights dominating the right bank of Givet.
The gate of France:
La door of France, designed by Vauban, is located on the 8051 route. She is one of the Givet fortifications registered in the monuments en 1991. This door, like the others, was equipped with a drawbridge and guard house sheltering a soldier in charge of lookout.
The Charbonnière Gate:
La Charcoal Door is located at the end of the Dervaux quay. As part of its defense projects, Vauban designed a bastioned enclosure which included this door. It was part of thefortified city wall. This door was used to protect access to Given.
III. Fortifications and developments today.
Today at Given, we still have traces and monuments which prove that Vauban passed through here. However, there are some that have disappeared or only some remain remains.
The downgrading of the military position of Given to generate the removal of the ramparts in 1891 and 1892, leaving only 3 doors out of the original six.
Le Fort Charlemont is still good preserved, today it is possible to visit it and many activities are organized and offered to visitors.
The barracks which were located at the bottom of the fort have faded away in the 20th century. And the Fort Conde which is located 500 meters from the citadel is still present and he is publicly accessible.
The layout of the streets of Notre-Dame district is still visible.
Finally, there remains the entrenched camp du Mont d'Haurs, this is the last fortified camp designed by Vauban which has not been destroyed. Today, it has been integrated into the Pointe de Givet National Nature Reserve, combining heritage HISTORY et natural.
What do you think? Does all this talk about Vauban make you want to come and spend a stay in Givet?
Themes
