Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Champagne Gate is the last significant vestige of the enclosure walls built in Levroux during the second half of the 15th century. Its construction was motivated by the fears of the inhabitants and canons of Saint-Sylvain, faced with the abuses of the robbers, especially those under the command of Captain Rodriguez. In response to their grievances, King Charles VII authorized, by letters patent dated 15 January 1435, the fortification of the city. This project includes the creation of a ditch, sixteen towers, courtesies and a round path, marking a collective desire for protection.

The Champagne Gate, completed in 1506, illustrates a defensive architecture characteristic of its time. It consists of a bay in the middle of a hanger framed by two cylindrical towers pierced by murderers, sheltering vaulted casemates at their base. The top of the towers and the central courtyard have large slots, while grooves held above the door testify to the old drawbridge. A seven-jet mâchicoulis, designed to protect the entrance, reinforces its military character. This monument, classified by decree of 1 June 1944, today symbolizes the medieval heritage of Levroux.

The royal authorization of 1435 was granted in consideration of Bertrand de la Tour d'Auvergne and the collegial chapter of Saint-Sylvain, who had supported the demand for fortification. This historical context reveals the strategic importance of Levroux at this time, as well as the protection mechanisms put in place by the monarchy to secure local populations against external threats. The Champagne Gate, owned by the commune, remains a tangible testimony of this history.

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