In Europe, there are many cities that have retained their original appearance for many centuries. These are cities such as Bruges, Siena, the upper city of Bergamo, etc. But you can’t say the same about the capital of France. Since the Middle Ages, Paris has changed so much that if one of the subjects of Philip the Beautiful (king of France) was now in it, he would not recognize his hometown. From Paris of those times only general geography remained, the Montmartre hill, the course of the Seine river and only a few dozen buildings. Even the Louvre today looks completely different, not like in the Middle Ages.
The article gives a description of one of the not preserved historical structures of Paris - the Nelskaya Tower (photo is presented in the article).
The fortress wall of Paris
The fortress wall in medieval Paris, built by order of Philip II Augustus, was a defensive city wall. It was built on the right bank of the Seine from 1190 to 1209, on the left - from 1200 to 1215. This is one of the three medieval walls of the French capital and one of seven that existed in the history of the city. It is a historical monument (since 1889), miraculously preserved after a grandiose reconstruction of the French capital, which was carried out by Baron Osman.
Before leaving for the Crusade (1190), Philip II Augustus issued a decree to enclose Paris on the north side with a fortified wall with fortified gates and towers. The city defensive wall from the Seine River began at the level of the Louvre Castle and rose northward to the present street. Etienne Marcel. Then she walked to the streets of Fran-Bourgeois and Rambutot and at right angles turned to the street Sevigne (at the present barracks of firemen). Then, at the center of the embankment, the Celestinians returned to the Louvre.
The fortress wall in the southern part of the city began to be built 10 years after the start of construction of the northern one. It also began at the Seine River opposite the Louvre Castle, bypassed the current Pantheon and again returned to the river (end of Boulevard Saint-Germain). Both parts of the wall had numerous towers and six gates. Some towers went down in history. Among them, on the left bank - the Nelskaya tower and the tower of Saint-Bernard, and on the right bank - Barbot.
Tower history
One of the watchtowered corner towers of the fortress wall was erected at the beginning of the XII century by Philip II Augustus.
The tower was located opposite the castle of the Louvre, on the left bank of the Seine. This is the place where now is part of the palace of the Institute of France (left corner). Initially, it was called the tower of Philip Augustus, then - the tower of Philip Amlene (the name of the Parisian Prevost, who led the construction).
The height of the Nelskaya Tower was 25 meters, width - 10 meters. It was built not far from the mansion, which belonged to Count Amari de Nell. Then this tower also went to the mansion and changed its name. Philip IV in 1308 acquired the mansion of Count de Nelay and presented it to his eldest son Louis Navarre, after which he was inherited by Philip V. He, in turn, presented it to Joan of Burgundy (his wife) in 1319. Jeanne bequeathed to sell Nelya's mansion in favor of the Burgundy College, which was founded by the Queen at the University of Paris.
The mansion and Nelskaya tower, destroyed in 1665, gave way to the new College of the Four Nations, which was founded according to the will of Cardinal Giulio Mazarin. Today at this place are the Institute of France and the Mazarini Library.
The Case of the Nelskaya Tower
One criminal case of treason and adultery is associated with this historic tower. This story was retold by Maurice Druon in the first volume (novel Iron King) of the historical poem Cursed Kings.
Over the years, real history has grown into several legends, one of which formed the basis of the play “Nelskaya Tower” by A. Dumas and F. Gayyarde. It was published in 1832. The play describes the scenes of the orgies and murders of the Queen of France (beginning of the 14th century), presumably Margarita of Burgundy. The main character Buridan was her first lover in 1293, but in reality at that time Margarita was only 3 years old.
Finally
The Nelskaya Tower in Paris, together with the ramparts, was an impressive defensive structure of its time.
The Koan and Nelskaya towers were demolished in the 17th century, after which, under Louis XIII, new city walls were built, which his subsequent receiver destroyed in 1670. Paris then lived without fortifications for more than 100 years. France at that time was the most powerful state in Europe, it simply did not need such facilities.