Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The fortifications of Rocroi were built from 1555 under Henry II to protect the border of Champagne from Spanish attacks from the Netherlands. The site, chosen by Martin du Bellay for its marshy environment, was built according to a radio-concentric star plan, inspired by the Italian principles of fortified fortification. A central pentagonal square served as a starting point for ten radiant streets towards the ramparts. The old fort, built in 1545 by François I, was integrated into this new enclosure, giving the whole its nickname "sea star petrified". The works, led by Marshal Bourdillon and master mason Loys Lenthe, mobilized local people.

The fortress played a key role in the conflicts of the 16th century, resistant to the Spanish sieges of 1556 and 1559. During the Wars of Religion, it was briefly taken in 1586 by Guillaume-Robert de La Marck before being taken over by the Duke of Guise. Louis XIII acquired it in 1614 and strengthened its defences with half moons and an independent citadel. The Battle of Rocroi, in 1643, where the Duke of Enghien defeated the Spanish, took place nearby, but the place itself was taken over in 1653 by Condé on behalf of Spain.

Vauban, albeit critical of his plan ("a meschantic way to strengthen the past"), integrated Rocroi into his Pre-square in the 17th century. He added bastions, a covered road, a military hospital, a powder shop, and an underground under the King's bastion, using the chore of 500 weekly men from nearby villages. In the 19th century, modifications were made (amongsts advanced in 1792, horsemen and tailmen in 1832) to adapt to military developments. The square, bombed in 1870 by the Germans, was finally downgraded in 1889 with the advent of the torpedo.

Today, the bastion of the Roy (classified in 1981) and the ramparts (registered since 1935) bear witness to this strategic past. The city, with 700 inhabitants intramural, has converted some buildings (poudrière into media library, arsenal into housing) while preserving their architecture. The site attracts 35 000 to 40 000 tourists annually, a figure expected to grow with the arrival of the A304 motorway.

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