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Origin and history

The Leroy Tower, also known as the Guillaume-le-Roy Tower, is a vestige of the fortifications of Caen, built in the 3rd quarter of the 14th century and modified in the 15th century. Built in Caen stone, it stands near the castle and Saint-Pierre church, on the left bank of the Odon. It was part of the Bourg-le-Roi defensive system, connected by a chain to the tower to the Landais (right bank) to control access to the medieval port. An external staircase allowed access from the wall.

Mentioned for the first time in 1497, the tower would have been built after the capture of Caen in 1346. It was transformed into a dwelling and then into a prison for smugglers and was saved from destruction by the municipal council in 1879. Restored by the architect Gustave Auvray (cost: 16,000 francs), she suffered damage during the Battle of Caen (1944) before a second restoration in the 20th century. Its cylindrical architecture (79 m2, 4 levels) includes archères and a summit platform.

Ranked a historic monument in 1933, the Leroy Tower illustrates Caen's military and urban history. The tower in the Landais, destroyed in 1860, and the filling of the Odon changed its original context. Today owned by the commune, it bears witness to the Norman fortifications and their adaptation over the centuries.

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