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Tower of Bregille in Besançon dans le Doubs

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine défensif
Tour
Fortification de Vauban

Tower of Bregille in Besançon

    Tour de Bregille
    25000 Besançon
Ownership of the municipality
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Tour de Bregille à Besançon
Crédit photo : JGS25 - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1700
1800
1900
2000
1687-1689
Construction of the tower
XIXe siècle
Added roof
1920
End of use dovecote
26 octobre 1942
Historical monument classification
1984
Foundation of the Association The Bastion
2018-2019
Renovation and inauguration
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Colombier militaire or Bastion Bregille : classification by order of 26 October 1942; The following parts of the urban enclosure: the buried remains of the counterscarp of the bastioned tower of Rivotte located on Parcel 58 (section DK), the remains of the rampart, even those buried, between the bastioned tower of the Rivotte and the bastioned tower of Brégille, located on Parcel No. 11 (section AK), the part of the rampart between the bastion of the mill Saint-Paul and the remains of the bastioned tower of Saint-Pierre, located on Parcel No. 22 (section CX), on Parcel No. 16 and 67 (section AH), the remains of the bastioned tower of Saint-Pierre, located on Parcel No. 29 (section AE), the buried remains of the bezel of Bregille, located on Parcel No. 109 (section CX), the corps de guard est de Chamars du XVIIIe siècle, situé 2 avenue de la Gare d The following parts of the urban enclosure, as legended on the plane annexed to the decree: On the left bank of the Doubs: The round road extending from the gate of Rivotte to the street of the Fusillés of the Resistance, located suburb Rivotte, on Parcel No. 42a and No. 42b, appearing in the cadastre, section DK; the buried remains of the counterscarp of the bastioned tower of Rivotte and the ground, situated suburb Rivotte, in the suburbs of Parcel No. 75, appearing in the cadastre section AK, of Parcel No. 107, appearing in the cadastre section AK, of Parcel No. 109, appearing in the cadastre section DK, and of Parcel No. 110, appearing in the cadastre section DK, and under Arthur-Gaulard Avenue, on the non-cadastre public domain, appearing in the cadastre section DK; the remains of the rampart, even those buried, between the bastioned tower of Rivotte and the bastioned tower of Bregille, and the soil to the west of the remains of that rampart, located 12 Arthur-Gaulard Avenue, on Parcel No. 137 and in the depths of the said parcel, shown in the cadastre section AK, and in the public domain not cadastralized under Arthur-Gaulard Avenue, shown in the cadastre section AK; That part of the rampart situated at Arthur-Gaulard Avenue, on Parcel No. 89, shown in the cadastre section AH, and that parcel; the road of haulage situated on the public non-cadastre domain, shown in the cadastre section AH, below parcels No 16, No 67, and No 89 of that section of the cadastre, and on the public non-cadastre domain situated between the outlet of the street of the Republic and the bridge of the same name, shown in the cadastre at the boundary between sections AH and AE; the remains of the bastioned tower Saint-Pierre, located at Elisha-Cusenier Avenue, on Parcel No. 29, shown in the cadastre section AE; The derased ramparts and the buried remains of the old ramparts, extending from the remains of the bastioned tower of St Peter to the bastion of the Holy Spirit, partly on Parcel No. 29, shown in the cadastre section AE; partially buried under the entrance of the Denfert-Rochereau Bridge, a non-cadastre public domain, partly situated on Parcel No. 137, shown in the Cadastre section AE, as well as the haulage path located on the non-cadastre public domain, below Parcels No. 29 and No. 137 of the AE section of the cadastre; the bastion of the Holy Spirit, the casemate of the flank of Poitune, the casemate of the side of the Cordeliers, the rampart between the bastion of the Holy Spirit and the casemate of the side of the Cordeliers and its buried remains, as well as the road of haulage, located below this rampart, this bastion and these casemates, all located quai Vauban on the non-cadaster public domain, appearing in the cadastre sections AD and AW; the remains of casemate, located on rue Girod-de-Chantrans, shown on Parcel No. 1 in the cadastre section AV; the buried remains of the second line of ramparts and the ground of its former slope, situated on the public estate not cadastre, partly on the road of haulage, partly under Parcel No. 1 in the cadastre section AV, and partly on the public estate not cadastre, under the rue Girod-de-Chantrans, between Parcels Nos. 1 and 5, all of which appear in the cadastre section AV; the buried remains of the second line of the ramparts, the ground of their former slope and the remains of the Chamars bridge, situated partly below the avenue of 8-May-1945, between Parcel No. 8 of Section Av and Parcel No. 27 of Section AT, in the uncadastre public domain, partly under Parcel No. 27 of Section AT, and partly under the Geneviève-de-Gaulle-Anthonioz track, between Parcel No. 27 of Section AT, and Parcel No. 5a of Section AT; the west guard corps of Chamars, located on Parcel No. 27 in the cadastre section AT; the buried remains of the Notre Dame gate located at the entrance of Charles-Nodier Street on the Tarragnoz suburbs, on the non-cadastre public domain, sections AP and DM of the cadastre; the rampart, ditch and counterscarp between Charles-Nodier Street and Notre-Dame Tower, bearing the ascent to the Rue du Chapter, situated partially on the non-cadastre public domain, section AP of the cadastre and partly on Parcel No 19, shown in the cadastre section DM; On the right bank of the Doubs: the buried remains of the Bezel of Bregille and the ground of these remains, located under Parcels Nos. 121 and 221, and under the uncadastered public domain, at the intersection of the Avenues Édouard-Droz and Chardonnet and the exit from the Bridge of Bregille, shown in the Cadastre section CX; the south guard corps of the Gate of Arenes, located 11 rue Marulaz, on Parcel No. 159, shown in the Cadastre section AX: classification by order of 16 April 2025

Key figures

Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban - Military engineer Manufacturer of Besançon fortifications.

Origin and history

The Tower of Bregille is a bastioned tower integrated with the urban enclosure of Besançon, built at the end of the seventeenth century (1687-1689). It was designed to strengthen the city's defence, notably by flanking the tower of Rivotte and protecting the Saint Paul mill. Its structure includes a ring vault on a hollow central pillar, serving as a well for military and armament passage. The roof, added in the 19th century, had an opening to recover rainwater.

In the 19th century, the tower was used as a military dove, sheltering pigeons until 1920, which earned it the nickname of "dove". It was listed as a historic monument on October 26, 1942. After a period of abandonment, musicians invested the place in the 1970s, founding the association Le Bastion in 1984. Today, it hosts musical activities for 250 groups and 600 members.

The tower is associated with Besançon fortifications designed by Vauban, of which it is a key element. Work in 2018-2019 resulted in the renovation of the ground floor to expand its cultural activities. It is located on Avenue Gaulard, near the Bridge of Bregille and the Ruty Barracks, and is part of a collection of historical monuments linked to the city's ramparts.

Its architecture reflects 17th century military techniques, with massive structure and defensive developments. The tower is a typical example of the bastions built under Louis XIV to secure the borders of the kingdom. Its classification also includes remains of ramparts and associated elements, such as the Bezel of Bregille or the Pelotte Tower.

The Tower of Bregille illustrates the evolution of heritage uses: from an initial military role, it has moved to agricultural use (columbier), and then to a contemporary cultural vocation. Its history is closely linked to Besançon, a strategic city on the eastern border of France, and to the legacy of Vauban, an emblematic military engineer of the reign of Louis XIV.

External links