Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Ostrevant Museum is housed in the Tower of Ostrevent, a major medieval vestige of Bouchain, built in the 12th century by Baudouin IV de Hainaut and completed by his son Baudouin V. This 19 m long barlong tower, made of white stone, served both as a seigneurial residence and as a defensive site, with typical features of the military architecture of the period: lower room, stairway and foothill turrets. After successive transformations (artillery battery under Charles Quint, reinforced by Vauban), it became a symbol of resistance during the fighting of May 1940, where the 45th Infantry Regiment held 8 days against the Germans.

The tower, originally 17 m high after its 18th century modifications, was preserved despite the dismantling of the fortifications in 1894. Since 1973, it has been home to a museum run by the association Les Amis de Bouchain and its Museum, exhibiting objects related to the battleship, Flemish religious art (from a destroyed church) and local military campaigns. The underground remains of the fortified enclosure and the tools of the old trades complete the collections. The tower, classified as a Historic Monument, was the object of restoration campaigns (1985-1989, 1993) to preserve its medieval infrastructure.

The museum highlights two key periods: the Second World War, with the fighting of the Scheldt which delayed the German advance, and the artisanal history of the region, including the battleship. The Ostrevent Tower, with its 7 m thick walls after the 18th century works, illustrates the evolution of defensive techniques, from medieval fortress to modern casemate. His strategic role in 1940 even attracted the attention of Hitler, who came to understand French resistance.

The collections include Flemish religious objects saved from destruction, local artisan tools and archaeological remains of the 12th and 18th centuries. The ground floor, formerly a prison, and the first floor, accessible to the public, now house permanent exhibitions. The second floor, closed for security reasons, preserves traces of the original 12th century structure, studied during the survey campaigns conducted by architect Frédéric Aubanton and historian Christian Corvisier.

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