Fort de Champigny
Encyclopedia
Fort de Champigny was built following the Franco-Prussian War
to defend Paris
. Located to the southeast of Paris in Chennevières-sur-Marne
, the fort was part of an outer ring of fortifications built in response to improvements in the range and effectiveness of artillery
since the construction of the Thiers fortifications
of the 1840s. It was built in accordance with improved principles of fortification developed for the Séré de Rivières system
.
The Fort de Champigny was built between 1878 and 1880 on an area of eight hectares at a location that had been used by the Prussia
ns to bombard Paris in the 1870 war. The site controlled movement on the Paris-Troyes railway line at Champigny-sur-Marne
. The four-sided fort is surrounded by a ditch and a counterscarp
. The fort encloses a paved court surrounded by quarters for 388 men. Water was supplied by cisterns. The fort was initially armed with 34 guns.
The fort was modernized in 1911, with additional fortifications in concrete, including two observation turrets in the fort's caponier
s with machine guns. In 1914 the fort contained no more than ten guns on the rampart and ten on the caponiers. During the First World War the fort fired on the Plateau d'Avron with ten guns of 12 and 15 cm caliber. In 1939 and 1940 the fort was used for anti-aircraft artillery. The fort's caserne was burned in July 1944.
The Fort de Champigny was taken out of military service in 1965. It was placed on the Supplemental Inventory of the Monuments Historiques
in 1979. It has been under restoration since 1984, and is to serve as a youth center.
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
to defend 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...
. Located to the southeast of Paris in Chennevières-sur-Marne
Chennevières-sur-Marne
Chennevières-sur-Marne is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-History:People have lived on the site of Chennevières-sur-Marne since pre-historic times, the hilly, riverside location being an advantageous spot. The Gauls built villages on...
, the fort was part of an outer ring of fortifications built in response to improvements in the range and effectiveness of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
since the construction of the Thiers fortifications
Thiers 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...
of the 1840s. It was built in accordance with improved principles of fortification developed for the Séré de Rivières system
Séré de Rivières system
The Séré de Rivières system was an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 and first used at the beginning of the First World War along the frontiers and coasts of France...
.
The Fort de Champigny was built between 1878 and 1880 on an area of eight hectares at a location that had been used by the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
ns to bombard Paris in the 1870 war. The site controlled movement on the Paris-Troyes railway line at Champigny-sur-Marne
Champigny-sur-Marne
Champigny-sur-Marne is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:Champigny-sur-Marne was originally called simply Champigny...
. The four-sided fort is surrounded by a ditch and a counterscarp
Counterscarp
A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides of a ditch used in fortifications. In permanent fortifications the scarp and counterscarp may be encased in stone...
. The fort encloses a paved court surrounded by quarters for 388 men. Water was supplied by cisterns. The fort was initially armed with 34 guns.
The fort was modernized in 1911, with additional fortifications in concrete, including two observation turrets in the fort's caponier
Caponier
A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" - which strictly means capon-cote i.e. chickenhouse.The fire coming from the feature A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" -...
s with machine guns. In 1914 the fort contained no more than ten guns on the rampart and ten on the caponiers. During the First World War the fort fired on the Plateau d'Avron with ten guns of 12 and 15 cm caliber. In 1939 and 1940 the fort was used for anti-aircraft artillery. The fort's caserne was burned in July 1944.
The Fort de Champigny was taken out of military service in 1965. It was placed on the Supplemental Inventory of the Monuments Historiques
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
in 1979. It has been under restoration since 1984, and is to serve as a youth center.
External links
- Fort at Champigny-sur-Marne at Chemins de mémoire