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Origin and history

The remains of the ancient ramparts of Etampes, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, constitute a major archaeological site of the Essonne department in Île-de-France. The urban enclosure, of rectangular shape and a circumference of 3,500 meters, was marked with eight doors, three of which were main (Saint James, Saint Peter, Saint Martin) and remained open during times of unrest. Today, it remains only the work of the Portereaux, two turrets and a section of courtine, inscribed in historical monuments since 1968.

The history of the fortifications of Etampes dates back at least to the 11th century, with a primitive enclosure around the castle of Queen Constance, the church of Our Lady and the collegiate Saint Basile, probably rebuilt in stone in the 12th century. However, the current fortification program seems to date mainly after 1446, when the city returned to royal control. The parish of Saint-Gilles was then integrated into the enclosure. The works, interrupted twice in the sixteenth century due to disputes with owners, left the city vulnerable during the wars of Religion.

In the 17th century, although the ditches were filled to create a walk and Henry IV ordered in 1589 the partial destruction of the fortifications (including the castle), the urban enclosure was maintained. In the 19th century, the ramparts were definitively destroyed and replaced by a tax fence, leaving only a few remains like the Portereaux bastille and the Wolf Tower, today communal properties. These elements, alien to the private domain, recall the strategic importance of Stamps in the Middle Ages.

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