Timeline

Origin and history

The buildings located from 1 to 9 rue Porte-Maillot in Thouars (Deux-Sèvres) formed an architectural complex classified as Historic Monument by order of November 8, 1939. This classification specifically concerned the walls of the barbacan of the old bridge, a medieval defensive element integrated into local urban planning. Although the building itself was destroyed during the explosion of the bridge in August 1944, its ruins were preserved until the 1960s before being definitively destroyed. Today, the site is an accessible public space, testifying to the defensive and urban history of Thouars.

The barbacan, a typical military structure of the Middle Ages, was used to protect access to the bridge, a strategic point of the city. Its classification in 1939 reflects its heritage importance, despite its subsequent destruction during the fighting of the Liberation in 1944. The remains, though missing, recall the upheavals that Thouars suffered during the Second World War. The current location, near the 4 Chemin du Pré Chambert, marks the historical location of this ensemble, now reduced to its administrative and documentary memory.

The available data, from the Merimée database and Monumentum, underline the duality of this monument: both civilian habitat and defence element, its destruction illustrates the heritage losses associated with modern conflicts. The accuracy of its location is assessed as "a priori satisfactory" (note 6/10), and its official address remains associated with the Insee code 79329 of Thouars, in the former Poitou-Charentes region, now integrated into New Aquitaine.

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