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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Tower of Navarre and Orval is a double artillery tower built between 1512 and 1519 to strengthen the defences of Langres. With a diameter of 28 meters, walls of 7 meters thick and 20 shooting flares on four levels, it is considered the most monumental of its time. Its terrace, designed to house cannons, was enhanced by 2.5 meters in 1515 to increase their range, resulting in the addition of a second level of gargoyles and the construction of the adjacent Orval tower.

The Orval Tower, named after Jean d'Albret, Sire d'Orval and Governor of Langres at the time, protects a spiral ramp allowing the cannons to reach the top of the Tower of Navarre in safety from enemy fire. In 1825, the Military Engineering transformed the tower into a powder shop, adding a conical frame to avoid infiltration. The two towers, joined together, form a unique ensemble classified as a historical monument in 1905 and 1913.

The name of the Tower of Navarre comes from the field on which it is built, formerly owned by the Counts of Champagne, also kings of Navarre. The current roof dates from 1825, while the towers retain their original structure, with the exception of this modification. Their architecture reflects Renaissance military innovations, combining defence and logistics.

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