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Key figures

Origin and history

The Rennaise Tower, also known as the Marshal Tower, is a vestige of the medieval walls of Laval, built in the 13th century. It was rebuilt in 1458 by order of André de Lohéac, Marshal of France under Charles VII, in the context of the Brittany War. His function was to serve as a second dungeon to Brittany, adapted to the cannons of the time. It dominated the ditches fed by the Ratel Creek, whose waters were held by a dam near Mayenne.

In 1598 a mill was established on this dyke, but the persistent floods were not resolved until 1688, after the sale of the Chiffolière mill. The tower served as an arsenal until 1837, sheltering a powder box. It retains four levels: a platform, a vaulted room, a dungeon and a guard room, as well as part of its watchtower path and the rampart connected to the Rennaise gate, destroyed in 1712.

The Rennaise gate, protected by two towers and a drawbridge, was a strategic point on the Rennes road. The confessions of 1407 and 1444 mention his defenders, such as Jehan Ouvrouin or Olivier de Feschal, who resisted the English assaults. The damage of the war, especially in the streets near the door, was documented in 1452. The tower, 23 meters high and 15 wide, symbolizes medieval military architecture adapted to the nascent artillery.

It should be noted that another Renaise tower, known as Le Paradis aux Biques, located in Montsûrs, was listed as a historic monument in 1925. The one in Laval, although linked to local military history, should not be confused with the latter.

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