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Origin and history

Philippe Auguste's enclosure is an urban fortification system built in Paris from the end of the 12th century, during the reign of Philippe Auguste. This second medieval enclosure, the oldest of which is known precisely, was designed to protect the capital from external attacks, including the Plantagenets, during the third crusade. It also marked a key step in the urban expansion of Paris, encompassing neighbourhoods such as the Champeaux and encouraging the economic and cultural development of the city.

The construction began with the right bank (1190–1209), more exposed to threats, and then extended to the left bank (1200–1215). With a total length of 5,385 metres (2,850 m on the right bank, 2,535 m on the left bank), it consisted of crenelated walls 6 to 9 metres high, flanked by 73 semi-cylindrical towers and pierced by 14 main doors. Its financing, estimated at more than 20,000 pounds, was partially provided by the Royal Treasury and the Parisian bourgeois. The enclosure incorporated innovations such as later dug ditches and river chains to control navigation on the Seine.

Although partially replaced by Charles V's enclosure in the 14th century, Philippe Auguste's enclosure remained in place until the 16th century, especially on the left bank. Its remains, now protected, include portions of wall visible in the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th arrondissements, as at 8–16 rue des Rosiers or 17–21 rue des Jardins-Saint-Paul. These traces illustrate its lasting impact on the plan of Paris, with streets (ex: Fossés-Saint-Bernard) or urban alignments inherited from its route.

The enclosure gradually disappeared from the seventeenth century, dismantled for reasons of health and urbanization. Its doors, which had become obsolete, were razed in the 1680s. Yet its heritage persists in the Parisian topography, with narrow ditches transformed into streets (e.g. rue des Francs-Bourgeois) and remains classified as historical monuments since 1889. It symbolizes a pivotal period when Paris became the largest European city (250 000 inhabitants in the 14th century) and a major political and intellectual centre.

Among the remarkable elements, the Montgommery Tower (rue des Jardins-Saint-Paul) and the visible foundations on Rue des Rosiers recall its defensive architecture. The end towers (the Barbeau tower, the Nesle tower) controlled the Seine via chains, while doors like Saint-Antoine or Saint-Honoré structured the commercial axes. The enclosure also reflects tensions between the royal power and the bourgeoisie, which contribute to its financing and management.

Today, 20 classified portions, often integrated with private properties, offer an overview of this fortification. Sites such as the Charlemagne High School or the Rose Garden – Joseph-Migneret allow you to observe courtesies or restored towers. These remains, though fragmentary, remain an exceptional testimony of medieval urban planning and Capetian military strategy.

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