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Origin and history

The belfry of Abbeville, erected in 1209 at the initiative of the local bourgeois, is one of the oldest in France. Its construction was authorized by the Count of Ponthieu, whose horse effigy always adorns the girouette. Originally it served as a watchtower and treasury, playing a key role in the defence and administration of the city until the 15th century.

In 1940, the belfry was almost entirely destroyed during World War II, with the exception of the 15th century Gothic treasury. Its restoration, completed in 1986, relied on historical documents to restore its original appearance. Since 1954, it has been home to the Boucher-de-Perthes Museum, and in 2007 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Architecturally, the belfry is a 27-metre-high square tower, in sandstone, with thick walls of 2.30 meters at the base. It includes an echevinal room, dungeons, and a treasure room where the seals and archives of the commune were kept. A bronze bas-relief, added in 1887, commemorates the heroism of Enguerrand Ringois, an Abbévillois who was thrown into the sea in 1368 for refusing to take an oath to King Edward III of England.

The treasury, built in 1468 in Gothic style, was used to preserve the communal archives. Today, it forms the entrance to the Boucher-de-Perthes museum. The belfry, symbol of municipal power, illustrates the importance of the communes in northern France from the Middle Ages.

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