Wall of Philip II Augustus, Paris
Encyclopedia
The Wall of Philip Augustus is the oldest city wall of Paris
(France) whose plan is accurately known. Partially integrated into buildings, more traces of it remain than of the later fortifications which were destroyed and replaced by the Grands Boulevards.
and the Anglo-Norman House of Plantagenet
. The French king, before leaving for the Third Crusade
, ordered a stone wall to be built to protect the French capital in his absence.
was in the hands of the English Plantagenet dynasty so an attack would most likely come from the northwest. Philip Augustus decided to build the fortress of the Louvre
to strengthen the defence of the city from attack from the Seine. The Left Bank was less urbanized and less threatened and thus considered less of a priority.
Despite the construction during the 14th century of Charles V's wall encircling Philip Augustus' wall on the Left Bank, the latter wall was not demolished. In 1434, it was still considered strong enough and thick enough for a cart to be driven on top.
However, Charles V's wall did not extend to the Left Bank, so the Philip Augustus' old wall was strengthened by:
demolished the Right Bank gates and authorised the leasing of the land enclosed by the wall without authorising the demolition of the wall itself. From the second half of the 16th century, these lands were sold to individuals, and often the cause of the dismantling of large sections of the wall.
The Left Bank wall followed the same path under Henry IV
. In 1590, he preferred digging ditches beyond the city outskirts to once again modernising the wall. The ditches near the Seine were used as open sewers and caused health problems so in the 17th century they were filled and replaced by covered galleries. The last remaining gates, unsuited to ever-increasing traffic, were rased in the 1680s from when the wall became completely invisible.
with a fortified donjon and ten defensive towers surrounded by a moat. The construction cost was slightly more than 14,000 livres during the roughly twenty years of the construction: representing about 12 percent of the king's annual revenues in the 13th century.
limestone blocks, reinforced with an infill of rough-hewn stone rubble and mortar. The wall was topped with a crenellated two-metre wide chemin de ronde.
Four huge bastion towers – 25 metres high with a ten-metre diameter – stood at the points where the wall met the Seine. Their purpose was to defend the city against assault from the river; heavy chains could be stretched across the river to prevent access.
On the west side these were:
On the east side:
completed the construction.
Simple postern
s – piercing the wall – were added to improve traffic flow. They could be walled up in times of danger (as could the less used or less defensible gates). However, some posterns were intended to be defended.
4th, 5th and
6th arrondissements of Paris
.
Downstream of the Seine, the wall ended at the fortress of the Louvre (Right Bank), and the Tour de Nesle
(formerly Tour Hamelin) on the Left Bank. Upstream, a barrage of heavy chains across the river linked the Tour Barbeau (Right Bank) to the Tour Loriaux (on the island), linked itself to the Tournelle (Left Bank). Chains rested on rafts moored to piles driven deep into the river.
In 1420, a new gate was built near Saint-Germain-des-Prés
: Porte des Cordeliers (at the corner of the rue Monsieur-le-Prince and the rue Dupuytren). It was sometimes called Porte de Buci, named after an older gate further north.
Finally, at the end of the 13th century, a postern was built east of the Porte Saint-Jacques, the Porte Papale ("Pope's gate") or Porte Sainte-Geneviève at the end of the current rue d'Ulm.
Two posterns were built between the Porte Saint-Antoine and the Seine, as well as the Barbette postern (rue Vieille-du-Temple, between the rue des Blancs-Manteaux and the rue des Francs-Bourgeois
)
During the 13th century, other posterns were added:
The last gate was added in 1280:
City walls of Paris
Over time, several city walls of Paris were built :* a gauloise enclosure * a Gallo-Roman wall* two medieval walls including the main one : the wall of Philippe Auguste* the wall of Charles V, extending on the right bank...
(France) whose plan is accurately known. Partially integrated into buildings, more traces of it remain than of the later fortifications which were destroyed and replaced by the Grands Boulevards.
History
The wall was built during the struggles between Philip II of FrancePhilip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
and the Anglo-Norman House of Plantagenet
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
. The French king, before leaving for the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
, ordered a stone wall to be built to protect the French capital in his absence.
Origin
The Right Bank was fortified from 1190 to 1209 and the Left Bank from 1200 to 1215. The difference in completion dates was probably strategic. The Duchy of NormandyDuchy of Normandy
The Duchy of Normandy stems from various Danish, Norwegian, Hiberno-Norse, Orkney Viking and Anglo-Danish invasions of France in the 9th century...
was in the hands of the English Plantagenet dynasty so an attack would most likely come from the northwest. Philip Augustus decided to build the fortress of the Louvre
Palais du Louvre
The Louvre Palace , on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, is a former royal palace situated between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois...
to strengthen the defence of the city from attack from the Seine. The Left Bank was less urbanized and less threatened and thus considered less of a priority.
Evolution
However, Charles V's wall did not extend to the Left Bank, so the Philip Augustus' old wall was strengthened by:
- Excavating a large ditchDitch (fortification)A ditch in military engineering is an obstacle, designed to slow down or break up an attacking force, while a trench is intended to provide cover to the defenders...
in front of the wall and using the spoil behind the wall to reinforce it; - Digging a back-ditch which merged with the main one on some sections of the wall;
- Flooding those parts of the ditch that were at the same level as the Seine. Flood water was kept in the ditches by means of locks on the river banks;
- Removal of the battlementBattlementA battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
s on the towers and replacing them with conical roofs; - Strengthening of the gates with a barbicanBarbicanA barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from...
, a bridge/drawbridgeDrawbridgeA drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
and a portcullisPortcullisA portcullis is a latticed grille made of wood, metal, fibreglass or a combination of the three. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege...
; - A chemin de rondeChemin de rondeA chemin de ronde — also called an allure or, more prosaically, a wall-walk — is a raised, protected walkway behind a castle battlement....
was built along some sections of the wall for easier movement of artillery.
Destruction
In 1533, Francis IFrancis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
demolished the Right Bank gates and authorised the leasing of the land enclosed by the wall without authorising the demolition of the wall itself. From the second half of the 16th century, these lands were sold to individuals, and often the cause of the dismantling of large sections of the wall.
The Left Bank wall followed the same path under Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
. In 1590, he preferred digging ditches beyond the city outskirts to once again modernising the wall. The ditches near the Seine were used as open sewers and caused health problems so in the 17th century they were filled and replaced by covered galleries. The last remaining gates, unsuited to ever-increasing traffic, were rased in the 1680s from when the wall became completely invisible.
Construction of the wall
The Philip Augustus' wall enclosed an area of 253 hectares; its length was 2500 metres on the Left Bank and 2600 on the Right Bank. The west side was the weakest point of the defence against Norman threat. Near the Seine, Philip Augustus built Fortress of the LouvrePalais du Louvre
The Louvre Palace , on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, is a former royal palace situated between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois...
with a fortified donjon and ten defensive towers surrounded by a moat. The construction cost was slightly more than 14,000 livres during the roughly twenty years of the construction: representing about 12 percent of the king's annual revenues in the 13th century.
City wall
The wall was between six and eight metres high, including the parapet, about three metres thick at the base. It was made from two walls of large ashlar-facedAshlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
limestone blocks, reinforced with an infill of rough-hewn stone rubble and mortar. The wall was topped with a crenellated two-metre wide chemin de ronde.
Towers and bastions
The wall had 77 semi-circular towers (flat and integrated into the curtain wall on the town side) at 60-metre intervals. Each stood 15 metres high, with a six-metre diameter, and one-metre thick walls. The bases were vaulted but the higher floors were wooden planked.Four huge bastion towers – 25 metres high with a ten-metre diameter – stood at the points where the wall met the Seine. Their purpose was to defend the city against assault from the river; heavy chains could be stretched across the river to prevent access.
On the west side these were:
- The Tour du coinTour du coinThe tour du coin is one of the main towers of the ancient wall of Philippe Auguste in Paris, built between 1190 and 1209.-The towers of the corner:...
, Right Bank, near the Louvre (Quai François Mitterrand) - The Tour de NesleTour de NesleThe Tour de Nesle or Nesle's Tower was a guard tower of the old city wall of Paris on the left bank, constructed at the beginning of the 13th century by Philip II of France....
, Left Bank (Quai de Conti)
On the east side:
- The Tour Barbeau, Right Bank (Quai Célestins)
- La Tournelle, Left Bank (Quai de la Tournelle)
Gates and posterns
Fifteen large gates opened onto the roads leading to France's main cities. At first, they were identical: an ogival gate closed with two wooden panels set into two 15-metre high and eight-metre diameter towers. Inside the gates two portcullisPortcullis
A portcullis is a latticed grille made of wood, metal, fibreglass or a combination of the three. Portcullises fortified the entrances to many medieval castles, acting as a last line of defence during time of attack or siege...
completed the construction.
Simple postern
Postern
A postern is a secondary door or gate, particularly in a fortification such as a city wall or castle curtain wall. Posterns were often located in a concealed location, allowing the occupants to come and go inconspicuously. In the event of a siege, a postern could act as a sally port, allowing...
s – piercing the wall – were added to improve traffic flow. They could be walled up in times of danger (as could the less used or less defensible gates). However, some posterns were intended to be defended.
Traces of the wall
Philip Augustus' walls run through the 1st,4th, 5th and
6th arrondissements of Paris
Arrondissements of Paris
The city of Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements municipaux administrative districts, more simply referred to as arrondissements . These are not to be confused with departmental arrondissements, which subdivide the 101 French départements...
.
- Left Bank: it is possible to see traces of the wall in the streets along its outer side. These are: rue des Fossés-Saint-Bernard, rue du Cardinal-Lemoine, rue Blainville, rue de l'Estrapade, rue des Fossés-Saint-Jacques, rue Malebranche, rue Monsieur-le-PrinceRue Monsieur-le-PrinceRue Monsieur-le-Prince is a street of Paris, located in the 6th arrondissement.-See also:* Hôtel de Condé, formerly in the area, the Paris residence and estate of the princes of Condé from 1612 to 1770* Maison d'Auguste Comte, a museum located at #10...
, rue de l'Ancienne Comédie, rue Mazarine. - Right Bank: all traces have completely disappeared. It started from the Seine at the level of the current Pont des ArtsPont des ArtsThe Pont des Arts or Passerelle des Arts is a pedestrian bridge in Paris which crosses the Seine River. It links the Institut de France and the central square of the palais du Louvre, .-History:Between 1802 and 1804, a nine-arch metallic bridge for pedestrians was constructed at the location of...
with the Grosse Tour du Louvre Foundations remain beneath the Cour Carrée. The wall then went north, then north-east to include the Église Saint-Eustache and to east at the level of the rue Étienne-Marcel and the rue aux Ours. The walls joined the rue Saint-Antoine at the end of the rue Francois Miron. Walls crossed the Ile Saint-LouisÎle Saint-LouisThe Île Saint-Louis is one of two natural islands in the Seine river, in Paris, France . The island is named after King Louis IX of France ....
, then divided into two small islands.
Downstream of the Seine, the wall ended at the fortress of the Louvre (Right Bank), and the Tour de Nesle
Tour de Nesle
The Tour de Nesle or Nesle's Tower was a guard tower of the old city wall of Paris on the left bank, constructed at the beginning of the 13th century by Philip II of France....
(formerly Tour Hamelin) on the Left Bank. Upstream, a barrage of heavy chains across the river linked the Tour Barbeau (Right Bank) to the Tour Loriaux (on the island), linked itself to the Tournelle (Left Bank). Chains rested on rafts moored to piles driven deep into the river.
City gates
At the time of its construction, eleven main gates were laid out. Four other main gates, as well as numerous posterns, were added to reflect the city's growth. The main gates were flanked with towers, and either vaulted or left open to the sky, with gabled roofs and portcullis.Left Bank gates
Initially, there were only five gates on the Left Bank:- Porte Saint-Germain (renamed Porte de Buci in 1352) (rue Saint-André-des-Arts, near the rue DauphineRue DauphineRue Dauphine is a street in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in the VIe arrondissement of Paris, France.It was named after the Dauphin, son of Henry IV of France.The Pont Neuf crosses the river Seine in front of the Rue Dauphine....
) - Porte Gibard, Porte d'Enfer, or Porte Saint-Michel (at the corner of boulevard Saint-MichelBoulevard Saint-MichelThe Boulevard Saint-Michel is one of the two major streets in the Latin Quarter of Paris . It is a tree-lined boulevard which runs south from the pont Saint-Michel on the Seine river and the Place Saint-Michel, crosses the boulevard Saint-Germain and continues alongside the Sorbonne and the...
and rue Monsieur-le-PrinceRue Monsieur-le-PrinceRue Monsieur-le-Prince is a street of Paris, located in the 6th arrondissement.-See also:* Hôtel de Condé, formerly in the area, the Paris residence and estate of the princes of Condé from 1612 to 1770* Maison d'Auguste Comte, a museum located at #10...
) - Porte Saint-Jacques (rue Saint-JacquesRue Saint-Jacques, ParisThe Rue Saint-Jacques is a street in the Latin Quarter of Paris which lies along the cardo of Roman Lutetia. The Boulevard Saint-Michel, driven through this old quarter of Paris by Baron Haussmann, relegated the roughly parallel rue Saint-Jacques to a backstreet, but it was a main axial road of...
heading south towards ChartresChartresChartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
and OrléansOrléans-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, at the corner of the rue Soufflot) - Porte Bordet or Porte Bordelles, or Porte Saint-Marcel (rue Descartes, near the rue Thouin)
- Porte Saint-Victor heading east (rue des Écoles, near the rue du Cardinal-Lemoine)
In 1420, a new gate was built near Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Saint-Germain-des-Prés is an area of the 6th arrondissement of Paris, France, located around the church of the former Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés....
: Porte des Cordeliers (at the corner of the rue Monsieur-le-Prince and the rue Dupuytren). It was sometimes called Porte de Buci, named after an older gate further north.
Finally, at the end of the 13th century, a postern was built east of the Porte Saint-Jacques, the Porte Papale ("Pope's gate") or Porte Sainte-Geneviève at the end of the current rue d'Ulm.
Right Bank gates
At first, there were six gates on the Right Bank:- Porte Saint-Honoré (rue Saint-HonoréRue Saint-HonoréThe rue Saint-Honoré is an ancient street in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France.It is named after the collegial Saint-Honoré church situated in ancient times within the cloisters of Saint-Honoré....
, at the level of the rue de l'Oratoire) - Porte Montmartre (rue Montmartre, near the rue Étienne-Marcel)
- Porte Saint-Denis or Porte aux Peintres (rue Saint-DenisRue Saint-Denis (Paris)Rue Saint-Denis is one of the oldest streets in Paris. Its route was first laid out in the 1st century by the Romans, and then extended to the north in the Middle Ages. From the Middle Ages to the present day, the street has become notorious as a place of prostitution...
, at the junction of the rue de Turbigo and the impasse des Peintres). It should not be confused with the Porte Saint-DenisPorte Saint-DenisThe Porte Saint-Denis is a Parisian monument located in the 10th arrondissement, at the site of one of the gates of the Wall of Charles V, one of the now-destroyed fortifications of Paris...
in Charles V's wall, rebuilt under Louis XIV and still extant today. - Porte Saint-Martin (rue Saint-Martin, near the rue du Grenier-Saint-Lazare). It should not be confused with the Porte Saint-MartinPorte Saint-MartinThe Porte Saint-Martin is a Parisian monument located at the site of one of the gates of the now-destroyed fortifications of Paris. It is located at the crossing of Rue Saint-Martin, Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin and the grands boulevards Boulevard Saint-Martin and Boulevard Saint-Denis.- History...
of the wall of Charles V, rebuilt under Louis XIV and also still extant today. - Porte Saint-Antoine, or Porte Baudet, or Porte Baudoyer (rue Saint-Antoine, at the level of the rue de Sévigné)
- Porte du Louvre between the fortress of LouvrePalais du LouvreThe Louvre Palace , on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris, is a former royal palace situated between the Tuileries Gardens and the church of Saint-Germain l'Auxerrois...
and the Tour du CoinTour du coinThe tour du coin is one of the main towers of the ancient wall of Philippe Auguste in Paris, built between 1190 and 1209.-The towers of the corner:...
, linking the wall to the Seine.
Two posterns were built between the Porte Saint-Antoine and the Seine, as well as the Barbette postern (rue Vieille-du-Temple, between the rue des Blancs-Manteaux and the rue des Francs-Bourgeois
Rue des Francs-Bourgeois
Rue des Francs-Bourgeois is one of the longer and more interesting streets in the Marais district of Paris, France.Starting near Centre Georges Pompidou , the road is considered trendy, with numerous fashion boutiques. Rue des Francs-Bourgeois is one of the few streets which largely ignores...
)
During the 13th century, other posterns were added:
- Poterne Coquillière (rue Coquillière, near the rue Jean-Jacques-Rousseau)
- Poterne d'Artois (rue MontorgueilRue MontorgueilRue Montorgueil is a trendy street in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, France. Lined with famous restaurants, quaint cafés, bakeries , fish stores, cheese shops, wine shops, produce stands and flower shops, rue Montorgueil has become recognized as one of the best places for hip Parisians to...
) - Poterne Beaubourg.
The last gate was added in 1280:
- Porte du Temple (rue du Temple, between the rue de Braque and the rue Rambuteau)
Remaining sections
Some sections of the wall remain visible:- n°9–11 Rue du Louvre: it is possible to see the inner side of a tower and its base. It was rediscovered when a ventilation shaft was dug during the construction of the Paris Métro Line 14Paris Metro Line 14Line 14 of the Paris Métro system connects the stations Saint Lazare and Olympiades on a north-west south-east diagonal across the centre of Paris. It is the twelfth busiest of sixteen lines on the network, and as of 2011, the only one to be operated completely automatically; the second such line...
(Meteor). - n°57–59 Rue des Francs-BourgeoisRue des Francs-BourgeoisRue des Francs-Bourgeois is one of the longer and more interesting streets in the Marais district of Paris, France.Starting near Centre Georges Pompidou , the road is considered trendy, with numerous fashion boutiques. Rue des Francs-Bourgeois is one of the few streets which largely ignores...
: this is the narrow entrance to Credit Municipal de Paris. From the street, a brick tower is visible: it was built in the 19th century on medieval foundations. Two lines are drawn on the pavement of the courtyard, following the line of the curtain wallCurtain wall (fortification)A curtain wall is a defensive wall between two bastions of a castle or fortress.In earlier designs of castle the curtain walls were often built to a considerable height and were fronted by a ditch or moat to make assault difficult....
. - At the corner of rue CharlemagneRue CharlemagneThe rue Charlemagne is a street in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, in the Saint-Gervais quarter, near the Saint-Paul quarter.-External links:* http://www.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/merimee_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_1=REF&VALUE_1=PA00086263...
and rue des Jardins-Saint Paul may be seen the longest part (60 metres) of the wall as well as a quarter of the Tour Montgomery, named after the captain of the Scottish guard of Henry IIHenry II of FranceHenry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
who was jailed after accidentally killing the king during a tournamentTournament (medieval)A tournament, or tourney is the name popularly given to chivalrous competitions or mock fights of the Middle Ages and Renaissance . It is one of various types of hastiludes....
. This tower defended the Poterne Saint-Paul and is linked to another restored tower in the middle of the sports ground by a 7.6-metre-high (curtain wallCurtain wallA curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep out the weather. As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is...
). - n°1–5 rue Clovis: one of the best kept parts of the curtain wall is visible. However, the original walk is not accessible to the public.
Internal links
- City walls of ParisCity walls of ParisOver time, several city walls of Paris were built :* a gauloise enclosure * a Gallo-Roman wall* two medieval walls including the main one : the wall of Philippe Auguste* the wall of Charles V, extending on the right bank...
- Le Louvre
- History of ParisHistory of ParisThe history of Paris, France, spans over 2,000 years, during which time the city grew from a small Gallic settlement to the multicultural capital of a modern European state, and one of the world's major global cities.-Ancient place:...