Thiers ramparts
Thiers, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
The town of Thiers with its castle and ramparts circa 1450
Coordinates	45°51′15″N 3°32′57″E / 45.85417°N 3.54917°E / 45.85417; 3.54917
Site information
Owner	Private property, city of Thiers
Site history
Built	17th century
In use	Medieval, Baroque and Neoclassical architecture
Designations	Thier outstanding heritage site; part included on the list of MH

The Thiers ramparts are fortifications erected between the 11th and 16th centuries to protect the town of Thiers in the Puy-de-Dôme department, France.

Since the 11th century, the town has undergone a process of concentric expansion around the ramparts of the lord's castle and the Saint-Genès church. As new villages were established near the city walls, the fortified town underwent at least five periods of expansion. The least well-maintained sections of the walls were demolished in the late 18th century, with the majority of urban redevelopment in the 19th century resulting in the destruction of several segments of the northern wall and the repurposing of the eastern wall. By the nineteenth century, only the eastern section of the fortifications remained intact, primarily serving as a retaining wall for the sloping terrain of the town.

The entire structure of the town's ramparts has been designated a notable heritage site and is overseen by the local urban planning and heritage conservation plan [fr] (PSMV).

In the 11th century, the initial fortification was constructed, encompassing both the feudal castle and the Saint-Genès church. Two Romanesque gates were built in this initial wall, allowing passage to the path that led to the town. During the 15th century, it was designated as the "wall of the Palace of Chastel." The primary thoroughfare of this inaugural district of the city is named in commemoration of this structure; it is currently known as the "Rue du Palais," although it should be referred to as the "Rue du Palais du Chastel."^{[a 1][b 1]}

The configuration of the streets and squares within the wall does not appear to have been planned according to a strict and pre-established scheme. The initial path remained in the same location; even the construction of the first wall did not result in a significant alteration to the general direction of the path, which entered the enclosure through the "Porte de la Bout" (demolished at the end of the 19th century) at the top of the current rue du Palais and exited by the "Square Tower of the Chancellery" in front of the current rue du Bourg [fr]. The gate, now backfilled and walled up, can still be seen above the Place du Pirou. The space between the Chastel Palace and the church has always remained open. From the outset, this space was used as a public gathering place in times of peace, but it also served as a refuge for local farmers bringing their herds to safety in times of insecurity. In the 15th century, it was transformed into a cemetery.^{[a 2]}

At the beginning of the 13th century, the town experienced a period of expansion to the north, resulting in the construction of a new wall surrounding the existing houses. This new neighborhood was served by a significant freshwater spring, later channeled into the Pirou fountain, located close to the initial wall. The primary thoroughfare of this urban expansion is Rue du Bourg. Two further principal thoroughfares were subsequently constructed: the Rue du Pourcharesse (subsequently renamed Rue Lasteyras) and the Rue du Transvaal (subsequently renamed Rue du Bourg). During this period, the appellations assigned to streets in the city frequently derived from geographical sources, either denoting the location of the street or the neighborhood it served. In Thiers, it is uncommon for a street to retain the same designation since the fifteenth century.^{[a 3][a 4]}

In the fourteenth century, a new neighborhood was forming in the relatively protected angle to the east by the "wall of the Palace of Chastel" and to the north by the "wall of the Palace of Bourg." To protect this expansion, a new wall was constructed, known as the "new wall of the city of Thiart," which constitutes the city's third wall.^{[a 5]}

Upon the erection of a new wall, new houses were constructed on either side of the now disused old wall. Initially, a "relay" was left along the old wall. The configuration of the houses resulted in the formation of a new street on either side, situated parallel to the original wall. Furthermore, the wall could serve as the foundation for the facades of houses. At this juncture, the new street followed the remains of the old wall, as evidenced by the second and third walls. The layout of the streets in Thiers remained profoundly shaped by the fortifications, which held unparalleled importance in the city's urban planning. These defensive structures were constructed under the existing space to be protected, optimizing the utilization of the terrain. Religious considerations and military necessities directed the city's development, and although this is now largely overlooked, it is still discernible in the city's topography, which can be characterized as picturesque.^{[a 6][1]}

In the fifteenth century, the city's expansion was such that a fourth wall was constructed, encompassing the previous three. This final wall, covering a significantly larger area than the preceding ones, was promptly designated the "city wall." The wall's construction was initiated by Louis II of Bourbon around 1400. At that time, the city was experiencing the final in a series of devastating wars, later known as the Hundred Years' War.^{[c 1]}

In the sixteenth century, the lordship initiated the construction of a final defensive wall to safeguard the recently developed residential areas on the eastern mountainside, close to the Durolle River and the Vallée des Usines. Despite its relatively modest dimensions, this wall represented the closest defensive structure to the aforementioned locations.^{[b 1][2]}

The city's walls and gates were reinforced with protective elements from their construction. These included embrasures, called bouches à feu in the region, which allowed archers or gunners to fire. As Michel Combronde notes in Représentation graphique de la porte Neufve au début du XV^e siècle, many loopholes were also in the city's towers and walls.^[3]

The work of historian André Kristos draws attention to several examples of what are known as brayettes. It would appear that these are false braies, a term that was used in the 15th century to describe such structures. They constitute an embankment or retaining wall that encircles a fortified camp. In the context of premodern fortification, this ante-chamber was situated between the moat and the primary defensive wall of a fortress. The brayette was positioned lower than the main wall to defend it from the moat.^[4] Two brayettes were discovered in Thiers. The first, called the "brayette du Chastel," surrounded and protected the Chapter Tower of the first wall, and the second, the "brayette du Bourg," situated further north, protected the Montauld Tower of the second wall.^{[a 4]}

The Wars of Religion commenced in 1562 in France.^[5] The inhabitants of Thiers were particularly susceptible to the influence of the "new ideas" due to their openness to external influences, particularly those emanating from the Lyon basin. As early as 1551, Antoine Chabrol, a cutler from Thiers, elected to flee to Switzerland. He was among the initial cohort of Protestant migrants seeking asylum in the country between 1549 and 1556. In the subsequent years, numerous individuals from Thiers migrated to Geneva.^[6] The city promptly augmented its fortifications to deter an incursion by the Huguenots, who increasingly threatened the city. Nevertheless, in 1568, they managed to gain entry and wreaked havoc on a portion of it.^[7]

From the 17th century onwards, Thiers experienced urban expansion as a consequence of significant economic growth driven by the flourishing cutlery industry [fr] in the region.^[8] As the population increased, the city undertook various improvements to facilitate movement within the city walls, such as constructing the Saint-Genès pedestrian route (see below). At the end of the 18th century, the city planned the destruction of part of the walls to prevent the collapse of poorly maintained sections and to widen traffic routes. Other parts of the walls were also destroyed to create streets in their place, such as Rue Grenette and Rue Pasteur.^{[a 4]}

In the nineteenth century, the northern section of the fourth wall was almost entirely demolished to facilitate the construction of new thoroughfares, including the roads, rue Victor-Hugo, and rue Prosper-Marilhat.^{[c 2]} Consequently, establishing Imperial Road No. 89 – subsequently designated as National Road 89 in 1824 – necessitated the destruction of five defensive towers and two gates.^{[c 3]}

Despite the partial destruction of Thiers' walls, the majority of these fortifications and their associated towers remain intact to this day. The towers are currently utilized for residential purposes, as evidenced by the Pignat Tower. The walls, meanwhile, serve two distinct functions. Primarily, they support the underlying land on which the city is constructed. Secondly, they offer a foundation for buildings erected directly on the wall.^[2]

In 1820, a section of the fourth wall was rebuilt, predominantly comprising the structures that supported the city's eastern land holdings.^[9]

The urban wall of Thiers is notable for its high degree of preservation, with nearly two-thirds of its original structure remaining intact. Despite the destruction of several segments during the 19th century, the wall remains one of the most well-preserved examples in the Auvergne region. From the Vallée des Usines to the east and the Limagne plain to the west, the city of Thiers is visible as it is built on a rocky spur surrounded by a belt of walls.^[7][10] This is particularly evident on rue Anna-Chabrol and rue des Murailles, which retain the entirety of the walls that support them.^[11][1][12]

The entire city's walls are classified as a remarkable heritage site [fr] and managed by the urban planning and heritage conservation plan [fr] (PSMV).^[13][14] This program contributes to protecting and enhancing the city's historical heritage, of which the walls are a part.^[14] However, only a segment of the walls is classified as a historic monument, given that part of the urban fabric rests on the walls.

The Thiers tourist office regularly organizes tours of the medieval city. This tour, entitled "Thiers, the Medieval", provides an insight into the diversity and richness of the upper city's heritage. The tour route encompasses streets where the walls are well preserved, affording the tourist guide the opportunity to provide a concise historical overview of the city's walls and their evolution.^[15]

Detailed map of the ramparts and inner city of Thier
Remaining elements	Disappeared elements
1: Chastel Palace	A: Chapter Tower
2: Square Tower of the Chancellery	B: Bout Gate
3: Clock Tower	A: Bourg Portal
4: Yrison Tower	B: City Tower
5: Chastelain Tower	C: Tower Under the Market Hall
6: (Unnamed) Tower	D: Salement Gate
7: Pedde Saint-Genès	A: Limagne or Lymagne Gate
1: Pedde du Coin des Hasards	B: Tower 2
2: Maistre Raymond Tower	C: Tower 1
3: Guet Tower	A: Allepit II Tower
4: Pignat Tower	B: Neufve Gate
5: Montauld Tower	C: Poule Tower
1: Tower 3	D: City Tower
1: Porte Malorie	E: Lac Portal
2: Malorie Tower	F: Town Hall Tower
3: Coagne Gate	G: Lyon Gate
4: Coagne Tower	H: Tower under the hospital
5: Saint-Jean Gate
6: Allepit I Tower
1: Saint-Jean Church
2: Seychal Gate

The following elements are described in a clockwise direction, commencing with the Square Tower of the Chancellery, situated to the north of the initial enclosure. Not all of the walls belong to the city of Thiers and are therefore inaccessible during guided tours or at the discretion of the public. Furthermore, the walls are not fully visible from traffic routes. It is also notable that many elements are integrated into the urban landscape.

A significant proportion of the original structure has been lost or obscured, with only a limited area remaining accessible today. The following table provides an overview of the current status of the surviving elements, along with their accessibility in 2018.

The Chancellery Tower, constructed as early as the 11th century, represents the northern exit of the "murailhe de palais du Chastel." The building's name has its origins in the 15th century. It is now highly visible from Rue du Pirou and the beginning of Place du Palais, also known as Place Saint-Genès. The shape of the entrance is highlighted by the stones that reinforce the contours of the main door.^[16] It is currently the oldest inhabited house in the entire town.^{[a 2]}

In Thiers, a "pedde" is a passageway that traverses a street or alley at varying elevations. The Pedde Saint-Genès was originally a gateway of the initial enclosure, though it was constructed with openings around the 17th century to facilitate commerce between the original village and the subsequent expansions of the town to the east.^{[c 4]} Presently, this pedde persists between Rue Mancel-Chabot and Place du Palais.^[17]

Following a renovation project completed in 2017, the tower is now more visible from Place du Pirou as a result of the raised roof. The lower part of the tower is constructed from granite stones, while the upper part is topped with a brown wooden structure with small openings closed by wooden shutters painted red.^[18]

• 
  The square tower of the Chancellery.
• 
  The Saint-Genès pedde.
• 
  The clock tower.
• 
  Traces of the first wall behind the church of Saint-Genès
• 
  The town of Thiers in the 18th century. The castle keep and clock tower can be seen in the top right-hand corner of the image.

The structure comprises a gate and a covered passageway connecting two buildings situated above an alleyway. This architectural ensemble is emblematic of a "pedde" in Thiers, and it is designated as Charnier Gate, which was originally part of the Maistre Raymond Tower. The structure is attached to the north side of the Maistre Raymond Tower (13th century) and the south side of a former entrance to the seigneurial castle of Thiers.^[19] The pedde has four floors, with the smallest floor situated at the lowest level and the largest at the top (fourth floor). As is the case with numerous half-timbered houses, the pedde's floors are constructed with corbel arches.

Following extensive renovations in the early 21st century, the Maistre Raymond Tower is now largely visible from the small square it overlooks. It comprises four upper floors constructed on a ground floor that is fully accessible to the public via a large porch supported by a stone vault.^[20]

The Pignat Tower is the most imposing of the second enclosure due to its diameter, which exceeds 10 metres, a relatively large diameter in comparison to the other towers. In 2018, the tower was renovated, and its original colour (faded red) was replaced with white, which makes the tower more visible from the street.^[21]

• 
  The Pignat tower.
• 
  The Maistre Raymond tower.
• 
  The rear of the Pedde du Coin des Hasards [fr].
• 
  The Watch Tower.

The third enclosure is the smallest in the city in terms of the area it protects. It comprises a tower, situated at the corner of Rue du Docteur Lachamp and Rue de la Faye, which has three floors. It is the smallest of the towers, with a diameter of just over 3 meters, and contains a staircase allowing residents of the outer districts to enter the fortified town.^{[a 7]}

Malorie Tower is in the lowest altitude among other towers situated at a higher elevation. It is also one of the most well-preserved, exhibiting preserved arrow slits close to the ground on the right side. Additionally, the tower marks the entrance to an underground passageway connecting the summit of Rue Rouget-de-l'Isle to the Chastel Palace, an early 11th-century structure. This entrance is currently visible from the street, although it is enclosed by a fence.

The gate was annexed in the 16th century to the church of the same name [fr] and can still be observed from the bottom of Place Saint-Jean. A suggestion of a vault is visible between the church and the remainder of the wall.^[22] Two unaltered rectangular windows remain in the continuation of the gate: one on the side of Rue des Murailles and the other in a building attached to the church.^[22] These apertures served as vents for the discharge of flammable liquids, thereby repelling enemies approaching the gate.

• 
  Rue Chauchat with part of the fourth wall on the right.
• 
  The Coagne tower overlooking the Vallée des Usines, taken in 2018.
• 
  Part of the fourth enclosure with the Coagne tower on the right in 1910.
• 
  The Malorie tower at the end of the 19th century.

The church, originally constructed in the Romanesque style, was destroyed and subsequently rebuilt in the 15th century in the Gothic style. However, it was then incorporated into the fortifications in the following century, forming part of the comprehensive closure of the final enclosure.^{[c 2]} The dual purpose of the church is still evident at the rear of the choir, where the walls are reinforced.^[23]

The medieval town's ramparts, particularly the eastern and southern walls, are regarded as a symbol by travelers and artists. They are situated in an atypical landscape, which is regularly painted, drawn, and photographed, especially for illustrating tourist guides and as subjects of postcards. This landscape is formed by the ramparts, the landscaped gardens of the Old Hospital in the foreground, and the old town and Saint-Genès Church in the background.^[24]

In 1861, during her travels through the town, the French writer George Sand composed a novel about the work of the Thiers cutlers. She referred to the town's ramparts as a writing surface where a certain Audebert had inscribed "words in charcoal."^[25] In 2017, the painter Monik Durand-Pradat created a series of paintings depicting various neighborhoods within the town. These included representations of still-visible parts of the ramparts, such as the Maistre Raymond Tower and the Pedde du Coin des Hasards [fr].^[26] In the same year, Anthony Mage created a painting of the town from the perspective of Margerides Rock. The ramparts along Rue des Murailles are a prominent feature of this work.^[27] Hubert Jaqueton described the town of Thiers as follows: "From the summit of Grun de la Pierre-qui-danse, tourists can survey the entire townscape. They can also observe the towers that once protected the castle's enclosure and the enormous keep with its broken crenellations."^[28]

• Association Le pays thiernois (1983). Le pays thiernois et son histoire No 1 (in French). Ville de Thiers.

• Association Le pays thiernois (1985). Le pays thiernois et son histoire No 6 (in French). Ville de Thiers.

• Association Le pays thiernois (1984). Le pays thiernois et son histoire No 2 (in French). Ville de Thiers.

• Collectif (2007). Mythologie française : bulletin de la Société de mythologie française (in French). Clermont-Ferrand: Société de mythologie française. p. 14. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024.
• Drillon, Caroline; Ricard, Marie-Claire (2012). L'Auvergne Pour les Nuls (in French). Clermont-Ferrand: edi8. p. 344. ISBN 978-2-7540-4485-1. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023.
• Fournier, Gabriel (1962). Le peuplement rural en Basse Auvergne durant le haut Moyen ge (in French). Clermont-Ferrand: Presses Universitaires de France. p. 587.
• Fournier, Gabriel; Revel, Guillaume (1973). Châteaux, villages et villes d'Auvergne au 15e siècle d'après l'Armorial de Guillaume Revel (in French). Clermont-Ferrand: Arts et Métiers Graphiques. p. 124.
• Groisne, Daniel; Therre, Georges; Ytournel, Jacques (1979). Thiers en cartes postales anciennes (in French). Thiers: Ville de Thiers. p. 49. ISBN 90-288-0153-7.
• Hédiard, Germain (1906). Eugéne Isabey : étude suivie du catalogue de son oeuvre (in French). Clermont-Ferrand: Delteil. p. 36.
• Laffont, Pierre-Yves (2011). L'armorial de Guillaume Revel : châteaux, villes et bourgs du Forez au XVe siècle (in French). Thiers: Association de liaison pour le patrimoine et l'archéologie en Rhône-Alpes et en Auvergne. ISBN 978-2-916125-05-3. Archived from the original on July 7, 2024.
• Syndicat d'initiative (1898). L'Auvergne : guide (in French). L'Auvergne : guide: L'Auvergne : guide. p. 61. Archived from the original on October 2, 2024.

• "Ville de Thiers" (in French). Archived from the original on July 1, 2022.
• "Thiers". Auvergne Tourisme (in French). Archived from the original on October 29, 2018.