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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Black Horse Tower, also known as the Grosse Tower or Mage Tower, is part of Rodez's fortified enclosure, built in the second half of the 14th century. Decided after the battle of Crécy (1346) to protect the city from the billiard bands, its construction began in 1350 under the impulse of the Sénéchal of Rodez. The plans were drawn up by engineers exploiting natural escarpments, and the work, financed by the clergy, lasted a decade. Originally, the tower was crenellated and surmounted by a bell, with vaulted rooms and an inner dome.

The enclosure was punctuated with towers every fifty meters, including the Gross Tower, now amputated with its primitive height. Classified as a Historical Monument by order of 23 June 1947, it bears witness to medieval defensive strategies in Rouergue. Its name "Black Horse" could evoke a local sign or legend, although the sources do not specify its exact origin.

Originally located near the present Girard Street, the tower is a rare vestige of the ramparts of Rodez, mostly dismantled. Its architecture combines military utility (observation, defense) and symbolic (cloche to alert the population). Current GPS coordinates place it near Marshal Foch Square, although its exact historical location remains to be refined (estimated at 6/10).

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