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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The walls of Thouars, built at the end of the 12th or early 13th century, were designed to defend the city and the castle of the Viscounts of Thouars. With 37 to 58 towers depending on the source, they included two main doors: the Porte au Prévost tower in the north and the Prince of Wales tower in the south. A ditch of 25 meters wide and 5 meters deep reinforced the defence to the south, supplemented by the Thouet to the west, providing a natural barrier.

In the 13th century, a bridge connected Thouars to Saint-Jean-de-Thouars by the east, fortified later in the 15th century by a central tower, the Maillot gate. This bridge, successively named St John's Bridge, bridge nine and then Chouans Bridge after the Battle of 1793, illustrates the strategic evolution of the site. The ramparts, classified as historical monuments in 1943, revealed in 2018 human remains of the seventeenth century near the old hospice, now replaced by the bath-douchs.

The fortifications reflect the military importance of Thouars, marked by continuous adaptations, such as the gate of Chavanne (destroyed) or the gate of Paris. Their preservation bears witness to a rich medieval heritage, linked to the history of the Plantagenes and to local conflicts, especially during the Vendée wars. Recent excavations also highlight the social role of the site, between defence and community life.

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