Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The ramparts of Vervins came into being in 1163, when a charter founded the commune and mentioned a first fortification consisting of a palissade and a slope. The current stone ramparts are built between the late 12th and early 13th centuries, incorporating 22 towers and three gates. These fortifications underwent major modifications after the fire of the city by the Spaniards in 1552, but their maintenance declined from the seventeenth century because of their vulnerability to modern artillery.

From the 18th century, partial breakthroughs and demolitions of the ramparts were undertaken, continuing until 1841, when the road from Vervins to Hirson was traced through the old fortifications. Today, only ten towers remain, much of them on private property, making certain elements inaccessible. In 1870, excavations revealed the ruins of a Roman theatre in the basements of the rampart, attesting to an ancient occupation of the site.

The ramparts are listed as historical monuments by order of 17 March 2003. Their route always surrounds the city, situated on a promontory between the Chertemps and a creek, although their present state reflects the transformations and destructions suffered over the centuries. The protected elements cover many plots, mixing private, communal and public property.

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