Fort Neuf de Vincennes
Encyclopedia
The Fort Neuf de Vincennes ("New Vincennes Fort") is a fortification built on the grounds of the Château de Vincennes
, on the east side of Paris
. While the old chateau had been a significant fortification in its time, by 1840 there was a need for a modern fort at that location, capable of using and defending itself against artillery fire. A new bastioned fort was built to the east of the historic chateau.
fortifications for the defense of the capital. During the 1870 siege of Paris
the fort was the headquarters for General Ribourt, in command of the area around Vincennes.
The fort was the scene of the trials of Jean Bastien-Thiry and the other conspirators in the 1962 attempt of the life of President Charles de Gaulle
, in which Bastien-Thiry was condemned to death by firing squad.
Château de Vincennes
The Château de Vincennes is a massive 14th and 17th century French royal castle in the town of Vincennes, to the east of Paris, now a suburb of the metropolis.-History:...
, on the east side of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. While the old chateau had been a significant fortification in its time, by 1840 there was a need for a modern fort at that location, capable of using and defending itself against artillery fire. A new bastioned fort was built to the east of the historic chateau.
Function
The fort remains the property of the Ministry of Defense, supporting a variety of Army activities. Public access is restricted. The fort houses the military archives of the Army, Navy and Air Force. The nearby chateau is a museum.History
Built between 1841 and 1844, the Fort Neuf is one of seventeen forts built as part of the Thiers WallThiers wall
The Thiers wall was the last of the defensive walls of Paris. It was an enclosure constructed between 1841 and 1844 under a law enacted by the government of the French prime minister, Adolphe Thiers. It covered , along the 'boulevards des Maréchaux' of today...
fortifications for the defense of the capital. During the 1870 siege of Paris
Siege of Paris
The Siege of Paris, lasting from September 19, 1870 – January 28, 1871, and the consequent capture of the city by Prussian forces led to French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and the establishment of the German Empire as well as the Paris Commune....
the fort was the headquarters for General Ribourt, in command of the area around Vincennes.
The fort was the scene of the trials of Jean Bastien-Thiry and the other conspirators in the 1962 attempt of the life of President Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, in which Bastien-Thiry was condemned to death by firing squad.
Source
- This article incorporates text translated from the corresponding French Wikipedia article as of October 19, 2010.