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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Reims powderbox, also known as the Puits Tower, is a vestige of the medieval city walls, erected to protect itself from English rides during the Hundred Years War. This defensive system, consisting of a ditch, a rise of land and a rampart, was then integrated into the Saint-Remi district, until then located outside the walls. The fortification included several doors and a artillery position, the current mound of which preserves traces.

After the ramparts, the Saint-Nicaise hill became a landscaped area, now known as the Saint-Nicaise hilltop garden. The Powdery Tower and an adjacent underground, the only remaining remains, were listed as historical monuments on November 20, 1920. The site now houses a statue of Paul Landowski and playgrounds, mixing heritage and contemporary use.

The Saint-Remi district, organized around the eponymous abbey, was a strategic place on the southern road of Reims. The medieval ramparts reflected the importance of protecting this area, while marking urban expansion in the face of external threats. The tower, owned by the municipality, today recalls this defensive past in a green setting.

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