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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Sauveur Tower is the last vestige of one of the four gates of the fortified enclosure of Vire, built in the 14th century by order of Saint Louis from 1250. Integrated with the walls protecting the old city, it marked the south entrance through Chaussée Street, equipped with a harrow and a drawbridge from the 12th century. Its south tower was destroyed in 1788, leaving only the north tower, now isolated by 20th century urban developments.

Under the Ancien Régime, the Saint-Sauveur Gate, also known as the Old or Saint-Thomas Gate, temporarily housed the town hall. Its mâchicoulis, still visible, recalls its original defensive function. The Postwar Reconstruction (1946) diverted Chaussée Street and created Rue des Remparts to highlight this vestige, alongside the Clock Gate and the Raines Tower, other traces of medieval fortifications.

Ranked a historic monument in 1951, the tower illustrates Norman military architecture. Its current location, between the other two remains, underscores the strategic importance of Vire in the Middle Ages, a crossroads protected by a network of ditches and fortified doors. Urban changes have preserved its historical character while integrating into the modern landscape.

The sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) confirm its inscription as historical monuments and its precise location: 9002 Rue des Remparts, in Calvados. The Merimée base refers to its Insee code (14762) and its protection order of 4 August 1951.

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