Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The buildings on the outskirts of the old Thouars Bridge, in the Deux-Sèvres (New Aquitaine), were a remarkable architectural complex. Their classification under the Historical Monuments by decree of 23 April 1940 specifically concerned the facades and roofs, as well as the ruined walls of the barbacan bridge. These buildings, which bear witness to the local heritage, occupied a strategic position at the entrance to the city along Porte Maillot Street.

The destruction of these buildings occurred during the explosion of the bridge in August 1944, probably in the context of the liberation fighting. The ruins, left abandoned, were finally destroyed in the 1960s, permanently erasing these remains. Today, space is a public site open to visit, recalling the turbulent history of Thouars and its lost architectural heritage.

The 1940 classification was originally intended to preserve a medieval defensive element: the barbacan bridge, a fortified structure typical of ancient cities. Although the buildings have disappeared, their memory remains through the archives and the Merimée base, which lists their precise address (1 to 9 rue Porte-Maillot) and their Insee code (79329). Their history illustrates the vulnerability of the heritage to conflicts and urban transformations.

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