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Origin and history

The fortifications of Saint-Dyé-sur-Loire date back to the 13th and 14th centuries, during which time the city, originally formed around a hermitage which became a monastery, was girded with a defensive wall. According to legend, Saint-Deodacus founded a hermitage there, attracting a growing population that required the construction of these ramparts. These fortifications, maintained until the Wars of Religion, were largely destroyed, leaving only a few towers in rubble, today alaid and covered with flat tiles.

The archeries of the fortifications, prior to 1354, were built in the 15th century to accommodate snakes, reflecting the evolution of military techniques. In the 16th century, changes were made, such as the piercing of Tower I and the widening of the enclosure southward with the addition of Towers F and G. The walls, lowered to mid-height in 1816, and the ditches, filled in the 17th century, testify to the transformations suffered by these remains over the centuries.

Originally, the enclosure had 15 towers and 3 doors, the last of which, known as the Chambord Gate, was destroyed in 1840. Among the remaining 8 towers, some have architectural features, such as diagonally truncated peaks. These fortifications, inscribed in the Historical Monuments since 1946, illustrate the defensive and urban history of Saint-Dyé-sur-Loire, marked by successive adaptations to military needs and historical hazards.

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