Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Louis XII fountain, located in Blois, has its origins in the 13th century under the name of "L'Arsis des Counts de Blois", linked to a grain market near Bourg-Moyen Abbey. A first medieval fountain, destroyed before the 16th century, occupied this site. It was rebuilt under Louis XII, probably in 1511, when master fontaine Pierre de Valence was conducting pipework in the city. Between 1512 and 1525, several fountains and wells were built in Blois, integrating this ambitious hydraulic project.

The fountain, originally called "La Grande Fontaine" in the 16th century, was moved in 1820 when Louis-XII Square was created, taking its present name. Ranked a historic monument in 1840, it escaped destruction despite its state of degradation, benefiting from restorations in 1893 and 1988. During World War II, in 1940, it survived the bombings that ravaged downtown Blois. Its carved decoration, including niches and the city's coat of arms, was partially damaged during the Revolution before being restored.

Originally, the fountain was backed by buildings at the corners of Rue Saint-Lubin and Rue Bourgmoyen, before being isolated in the current square. Its architecture reflects the urban transformations of Blois, marked by Louis XII's projects and 19th-century developments. The weapons of the city and the lily flowers of the guard, symbols of its history, were the targets of revolutionary degradation before their subsequent restoration.

The work of Pierre de Valence between 1511 and 1512 was part of a modernization of Blois' hydraulic system, including the reconstruction of pipes and the construction of new fountains. The fountain of the Arsis, represented in 1573 or 1575 by François de Belleforest, illustrates this lavish period for Bloisian urban planning. His movement in 1820 and his rebaptization honor the memory of Louis XII, king born at the Château de Blois.

External links