Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The towers Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul de Louhans, in Saône-et-Loire, are the last remains of the city's ramparts, built or rebuilt between the 16th and 17th centuries. They were listed as historical monuments in 1995. The St. Peter's Tower, dated 1570 by an engraved stone, was a military bastion integrated into the medieval fortified enclosure. A sculpture hammered on his pediment suggests the destruction of a coat of arms during the Revolution.

The St. Peter's Tower, in ruins after the departure of a bourrelier in 1980, was saved in 1991 by a local association. Restored between 1995 and 1998 under the supervision of the DRAC Burgundy, it revealed Gallo-Roman remains, including traces of a potter dating from 52 BC. Since 1999, she has hosted cultural exhibitions and received a Heritage Award in 2001 for her exemplary restoration.

The Saint Paul Tower, rebuilt in 1668 when the 13th century walls were restored, is now in poor condition. Unlike her neighbour, she did not benefit from conservation work. The two towers, located at the northern ends of the former enclosure, bear witness to the defensive history of Louhans, mentioned in 1911 by local historian Lucien Guillemaut in History of the Louhanese Bress.

The towers, mixed properties (private for Saint-Pierre, communal for Saint-Paul), symbolize both the military heritage and the resilience of citizen initiatives. Their inscription in 1995 preserved this fragment of history, while providing a dynamic cultural space for the city. Organized activities, such as the 1998 historical reconstruction, recall their past role in protection and monitoring.

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