Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The ramparts of Vaucouleurs, built in the first half of the 12th century, are a major defensive group of the Grand Est region. The town was first surrounded by a palissade by Étienne de Vaux, then by a stone enclosure by Roger de Joinville between 1099 and 1130, including perhaps 17 towers. These fortifications, incorporating 20 towers of various shapes (round, rectangular or spur) and 4 gates, protected the city and its castle, whose west wall was confused with that of the urban enclosure.

In the 13th century, a more robust wall was built, buried 3 metres deep, serving as the basis for the current ramparts. The building now visible, however, dates from 1733-1734, when the structures were partially rebuilt. The remains, including the Tower of the English, were classified as historical monuments in 1979. The materials used – cut stone for towers and bellows for ramparts – reflect medieval construction techniques, although some elements were later redeveloped, such as the Seiligmann tower, which was re-dressed in the 19th century in troubadour style.

The ramparts, initially crenelated, have lost this characteristic over the centuries, and some sections were reused as carrying walls for later constructions. The French gate, covered with flat tiles, and the schauguers, surmounted by conical slate roofs, illustrate the architectural evolution of the site. Their classification in 1979 underlines their heritage importance, linked to the military and urban history of Lorraine.

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