Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Place d'Armes-General-de-Gaulle, located in the heart of Neuf-Brisach in the Haut-Rhin, is a square urban space designed as the geometric center of the city. It is bordered by the main military buildings and the parish church, with streets converging towards the four gates of the citadel. Its layout reflects a military and civil organization typical of the fortified towns of the eighteenth century, with wells and a central fountain.

The fountain, built in 1726, was a key element of the square, with an octagonal basin in pink sandstone topped by a fleur de lis and a sun, symbols of Louis XIV. Powered by an external well via an underground pipe, it provided drinking water and served as a reserve in case of fire. Destroyed in 1870, it was rebuilt identically in 1992, thus preserving its historical heritage.

The square initially housed four wells at the cardinal points, dug in 1701. These wells, reinforced with brick masonry and equipped with Vosges stone margins, were equipped with copper buckets and iron chains. In 1840, they were modernized with suction pumps, and in 1936, their margins were moved during roadway expansion. The square, classified as a historic monument in 1939, also includes trees and soil in its protection.

In 1782 the fountain was moved to the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville to facilitate access to water during military exercises. After its destruction in 1870, it was replaced by a monument to the dead, before being rebuilt in 1994. Today, it remains a symbol of the military and urban history of Neuf-Brisach, linked to the Vauban era and the legacy of Louis XIV.

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