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Origin and history

The ramparts of Senlis consist of two distinct groups: a Gallo-Roman enclosure and medieval fortifications. The Gallo-Roman enclosure, among the best preserved of northern Gaul, was built between the third and early fourth centuries, after the Germanic invasions of 275-276. Its oval shape, adapted to topography, included an area of approximately 6 to 8 hectares. The walls, on average 3.25 m thick, were reinforced by about 30 square towers inside and rounded outside, on average 31 m apart. A second construction campaign towards the year 500, attributed to King Clovis I, enhanced the towers of one floor. The dismantling began in 1170 with the construction of Saint-Frambourg Abbey.

The city had only two main gates: the door to Paris (or Beauvais) in the south and the door to Bellon (or Reims) near the bishopric. Four poternes, some of which might date back to the Middle Ages, completed this set. The remains visible today include fifteen towers, wall sections in public gardens (such as the Royal Castle Park or the Vernet Square), and traces of the Bellon and Paris Gates. The construction technique combined a cubic stone trim and a lime mortar core (opus cæmenticium) with tile beds every 1.25 m. The enclosure was protected in stages between 1930 and 1999, with classifications and inscriptions for historical monuments.

The medieval ramparts, initiated under Philippe Auguste at the end of the 12th century, were extended to St Vincent Abbey in 1287. They included four main doors (Saint-Rieul, Meaux, Paris, Creil) and several poternes, such as that of the Weavers, still visible today. The fortifications were modernized in the 15th and 16th centuries under Louis XI and Jean-François de La Rocque de Roberval, with the addition of bastions, spurs, and wider ditches to resist artillery. The gate of Meaux, reinforced by a bastion in 1544, and the poterne des Tisserands (access to the Nonette for artisans) are among the few remaining remains.

The abandonment of the ramparts began in 1637, followed by systematic dismantling from 1775. The gates were sold or destroyed between 1805 and 1837, and the ditches closed to create boulevards, such as the Thoré-Montmorency course. Today, the rampart of the Otages (boulevard des Otages) and the stronghold of the gate of Meaux, as well as the tower of the Jeu d'Arc (XIIIth century), recall this enclosure. The remains have been protected since 1930, and the preserved area of Senlis, created in 1965, preserves their traces in the urban landscape.

The medieval enclosure was completed by eight spurs built in the sixteenth century, of which only that of the gate of Meaux partially remains. The doors, like that of Saint-Rieul (demolated in 1828), were often double (high and bass doors) and flanked by towers. The gate of Compiègne, built in 1753 in a classical style, marked the end of the defensive utility of the ramparts. The disputes between the city and the royal domain over the ownership of fortifications, resolved in 1827, accelerated their disappearance in favour of modern urban development.

Archaeological excavations, such as those in 2010-2011 near the Meaux Gate, revealed sarcophagi from the early Middle Ages and buried defensive structures. The Poterne des Tisserands, used by artisans to access the Nonette, and the Montauban platform (top of the ramparts) illustrate the adaptation of fortifications to local activities. Despite the destruction, the ramparts of Senlis remain a unique testimony of military architecture, from late antiquity to the Renaissance, in a city marked by its royal and episcopal past.

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