Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The water-maregraph castle of Rouen is an industrial building built at the beginning of the twentieth century, more precisely in the first quarter of this century. Located on the Ferdinand-de-Lesseps wharf (formerly Emile-Duchemin wharf), it was part of the city's port facilities. This monument illustrates the utilitarian architecture of the era, with a brick structure and a pyramidal roof, reflecting the technical needs related to the river and maritime activity of Rouen.

Designed by architect Lucien Lefort in 1901, the building was originally designed to house equipment related to tidal measurement and water supply at the port. The main tower, decorated with fake machicoulis, was accompanied by a small attached building containing part of the machinery. Today, the interior installations have disappeared, but the facades and roofs, protected since 1997, recall its historical role in the port development of Rouen.

At the turn of the 20th century, Rouen's castle was built in a context of urban and industrial expansion. The city, then undergoing modernization, saw its port infrastructure expanding westward to respond to the increase in river traffic. This type of construction, both functional and aesthetic, symbolized the technical progress of the time, while integrating into the local architectural landscape. Its classification as a historic monument underlines its heritage importance, although its original use has now disappeared.

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