Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Hiers fountain, located in Marennes-Hiers-Brouage in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, is a building built during the first half of the seventeenth century. It works as a reservoir, accumulating the water from the surrounding sources before it is transported to Brouage via two kilometres of lead pipes. This hydraulic system, originally designed by Bernard Palissy in 1580, was built between 1617 and 1618 by Martin de Barrière. Richelieu grew in 1633 with eyes and a royal fountain in Brouage, now extinct.

The Hiers reservoir, probably built during this period, was maintained until the 18th century by a dedicated fontainerier. Repairs became costly due to the marshy environment (1723, 1746-1749, 1759, 1761), and the system was abandoned to tanks around 1805, when the army recovered lead pipes. Only the reservoir remains, used as a prison and shelter for indigents until World War II.

Architecturally, the building is a square stone-cut construction, with bossed angles and prominent table panels. A door and a window pierce the south facade, surmounted by a curved pediment with a wooded tympanum. The tiled arch supports an imperial roof. Ranked a historic monument in 1999, it now belongs to the commune.

Palissy's initial project was to provide safe drinking water for Brouage, a fortified city and a strategic port. Richelieu, then governor of the region, modernized the network to strengthen its military and urban role. The abandonment of the system in the 19th century coincides with the loss of strategic importance of Brouage and the evolution of hydraulic techniques.

The fountain illustrates pre-industrial hydraulic engineering, combining craftsmanship and military needs. Its classification in 1999 highlights its heritage value, both for its architecture and for its historic role in the region's water supply.

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