Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The ramparts of Die (Drôme) date from the third century, built by the Romans to guard against Germanic invasions and revolts by the Bagauds. They are the only Roman monument still standing in the department. Their initial layout, 2 km long for a height of 8 m, included about sixty guard towers with various shapes (square, semicircular, or seven-sided — a rarity in Roman architecture). The materials come in part from re-use, such as columns or carved stones taken from old buildings.

Ranked historic monument in 1921 and 1922, three sections are protected: a round tower and a square tower on the boulevard du Gagnard (classified October 13, 1921), as well as the northern parts between the hospital and the Fondeaux (14 December 1922). The ramparts were extended in the Middle Ages, especially during the Wars of Religion, with the addition of bastions in the seventeenth century. From 1820, with their defensive utility declining, portions were demolished to build houses or recover materials.

The Saint-Marcel Gate, built between the third and fourth centuries, illustrates this evolution. Originally a Roman fortified gate, it was moved and reinforced in the Middle Ages with a drawbridge and mâchicoulis, framed by two semicircular towers. His name pays tribute to Marcel de Die, bishop of the fifth century buried in La Roquette. Weather and aging have caused collapses, as in 2011 rue de la Citadelle, requiring consolidation to stabilize structures.

Today, the remains of the ramparts, a mixed property (municipal and private), bear witness to nearly 1,800 years of history, from Roman defenses to medieval adaptations. Their variable state, between classified parts and missing sections, reflects urban transformations and the challenges of preserving a millennium heritage.

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