Hubbry Logo
Medieval Louvre CastleMedieval Louvre CastleMain
Open search
Medieval Louvre Castle
Community hub
Medieval Louvre Castle
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Medieval Louvre Castle
Medieval Louvre Castle
Medieval Louvre Castle
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

The Louvre Castle (French: Château du Louvre), also referred to as the Medieval Louvre (French: Louvre médiéval),[1] was a castle (French: château fort) begun by Philip II of France on the right bank of the Seine, to reinforce the city wall he had built around Paris. Over time, it was expanded but was generally demolished above ground in stages between 1528 and 1660 to make way for expanding the Louvre Palace, while some parts of the castle's foundations were incorporated in construction of the later palace.

Key Information

Name

[edit]
For the etymology of the name "Louvre", see Louvre § Before the museum.

The semantic distinction between a Louvre "castle" in the Middle Ages and "palace" in the modern era is no more than a recent usage. The medieval complex was often referred to simply as the Louvre (French: le Louvre), as its modern successor still is. It was also qualified in medieval times as a fortress (French: forteresse du Louvre,[2]: 55  royal abode (French: demeure royale du Louvre),[2]: 70  or mansion (French: hostel du Louvre or manoir du Louvre).[2]: 72, 76  Conversely, the Louvre Palace was still referred to as a castle (French: château du Louvre) until the mid-18th century if not later.[3]

History

[edit]
See also: Wall of Philip II Augustus

Fortress

[edit]

Before his departure for the Third Crusade in 1190, King Philip II wanted to protect his capital Paris against invasions, especially from English-held Normandy less than 100 km away, with memories still lingering of the Viking siege of Paris in 845. He ordered the construction of a new city wall, known since as the Wall of Philip II Augustus, which was started in 1190 on the right bank.[4] The fortress was nearly squared in plan (78 m by 72 m), surrounded by a 10 m wide moat filled with water from the nearby Seine river. It was reinforced by ten defensive towers, on the corners and at the middle of each side, with twin towers defending narrow gates on the southern and eastern sides, protected by drawbridges. Two additional buildings housing the garrisons and the arsenals were located outside of the surrounding wall, to the west and south of the central courtyard, respectively.[4][5][6]

A keep named the "big tower" (Grosse Tour du Louvre) was built around 1200 in the center of the courtyard. It was a circular structure with a diameter of 15.6 m and 30 m tall, with walls 4.25 m thick at the base. It was surrounded by a ditch, 9 m wide and 6 m deep. This ditch was dry (not a water-filled moat) and paved with large irregular stones. It was crossed by a drawbridge, whose interior arch was built in stone to limit the risk of fire. The keep had a conical roof slate over the machicolation. It also had a well and a large tank for supporting long sieges, as well as a chapel inside.[4][6][7] The choice of a round rather than squared or rectangular keep was for military reasons, because attackers could more easily sap the wall at the angles of squared towers compared to circular towers.[8]

Royal residence

[edit]

The Louvre evolved gradually away from its initial purely military function. Louis IX had new rooms built in 1230–1240 without any real defensive purpose, including a ceremonial room that was later known as the Salle Saint-Louis. The Louvre became a residence intermittently during the troubled times of the 14th century. By the mid-14th century, Paris had grown well beyond the walls of Philip II. Étienne Marcel had started building a new city wall further to the west, which King Charles V the Wise (1364-1380) brought to completion, later known as the Wall of Charles V. Soon after becoming king, Charles initiated a major transformation of the Louvre into a prestigious royal residence.[9] His architect Raymond du Temple [fr] added upper floors, windows, turrets, sculpted decoration, and gardens. Charles V repurposed the northwest tower, formerly known as Tour de la Fauconnerie (Falconry), into the first French Royal Library containing over nine hundred manuscripts.

During the Hundred Years' War, English soldiers commanded by Henry V of England, who was allied to the Burgundians who controlled Paris, entered the city. In December 1420, the English occupied the Louvre Castle without a fight. There, they found a Paris ruined by civil war and scarcity and stayed there until 1436.

Demolition and rebuilding

[edit]

In 1525, Francis I of France was defeated at Pavia and held prisoner. During his captivity, the court interfered with the King's decisions using its droit de remontrance (French for right of remonstrance). In addition, the faculty of theology and the Parlement of Paris started to show some independence. The King held a lit de justice on 24, 26 and 27 July 1526, during which he demonstrated his authority and decided to take back his kingdom and make the Louvre castle his main residence in Paris. As a symbol of his authority, he ordered the demolition of the dungeon in 1528 in order to build an Italian style palace. In 1546, he charged the architect Pierre Lescot to build a modern palace in the spirit of the Renaissance architecture, with a large hôtel particulier and ceremonial rooms. After the death of Francis in 1547, his son Henry II of France continued the work by Pierre Lescot. Between December 1546 and March 1549, he had the west wall destroyed to build a ballroom and the south wall to erect the royal pavilion (1553–1556), which housed the royal apartments and the small gallery.

After the death of Henry II, his widow Catherine de' Medici continued the development of the south wing for her apartments. From 1564 onwards, she prioritised the construction of the new Tuileries Palace and the establishment of a large Renaissance garden.

Under Henry III of France, the Louvre became a space for royalty, a place of entertainment and the theater of historical events such as the marriage of the future King Henry IV of France with Margaret of Valois, which led to the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre in 1572.

During his reign, Henry IV destroyed the remaining elements on the south side, including the moat, in order to build the Grande Galerie (Great Gallery in French) connecting the Louvre and the Tuileries. This was completed in 1610. He also began the construction of the Cour Carrée on the base of the existing Lescot wing. The surface was four times the size of the original medieval court. Some buildings between the two palaces were also destroyed. This project, named le Grand Dessein (the Grand Design in French), also had a military function by establishing a covered walkway between the Louvre and the Tuileries outside the city walls. Henry IV created this walkway in case he needed to flee on horseback during a riot.

In order to establish his power, on 24 April 1617 the young Louis XIII murdered Concino Concini, the favorite of his mother Marie de' Medici, at the entrance gate connecting the castle to the city.

Louis XIII demolished the northern part of the medieval enclosure in order to extend the Lescot wing in this direction, providing symmetry. The eastern part was demolished by Louis XIV to allow for the construction of the Louvre Colonnade.

Plans and reconstructions

[edit]
  • Map of the Louvre under Charles V, by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1856; oriented south on top and north at bottom)
    Map of the Louvre under Charles V, by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1856; oriented south on top and north at bottom)
  • Map of the medieval Louvre, by Adolphe Berty (1866)
    Map of the medieval Louvre, by Adolphe Berty (1866)
  • Map of the Louvre in 1380, by Theodor Josef Hubert Hoffbauer [fr] (ca.1880)
    Map of the Louvre in 1380, by Theodor Josef Hubert Hoffbauer [fr] (ca.1880)
  • Map of the Louvre in 1595, by Theodor Josef Hubert Hoffbauer [fr] (ca.1880)
    Map of the Louvre in 1595, by Theodor Josef Hubert Hoffbauer [fr] (ca.1880)
  • The castle from the south and Seine river around the year 1200, as imagined by Louis-Pierre Baltard around 1800
    The castle from the south and Seine river around the year 1200, as imagined by Louis-Pierre Baltard around 1800
  • Reconstruction of the medieval Louvre by the Comte de Clarac (1826)
    Reconstruction of the medieval Louvre by the Comte de Clarac (1826)
  • Reconstruction by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1856)
    Reconstruction by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1856)
  • Viollet-le-Duc's reconstructed section of the Grande Vis (1856)[10]
    Viollet-le-Duc's reconstructed section of the Grande Vis (1856)[10]
  • Viollet-le-Duc's reconstruction of the Grande Vis (1856)[10]
    Viollet-le-Duc's reconstruction of the Grande Vis (1856)[10]
  • Reconstruction by Theodor Josef Hubert Hoffbauer [fr] (ca.1880)
    Reconstruction by Theodor Josef Hubert Hoffbauer [fr] (ca.1880)
  • Another view of the Louvre in 1380 as reconstructed by Hoffbauer (ca.1880)
    Another view of the Louvre in 1380 as reconstructed by Hoffbauer (ca.1880)
  • The Louvre in 1622 as reconstructed by Hoffbauer (ca.1880)
    The Louvre in 1622 as reconstructed by Hoffbauer (ca.1880)
  • Model of the Louvre after Charles V's transformation, placed in 1989 in the underground spaces displaying the castle's remains
    Model of the Louvre after Charles V's transformation, placed in 1989 in the underground spaces displaying the castle's remains
  • Recent computer model of the Grande Vis
    Recent computer model of the Grande Vis

Excavations and remains

[edit]
One of the walls of the castle preserved in the Medieval Louvre. This is the wall facing the city with the support pillar of the drawbridge, the main entrance to the Louvre.

During the 19th century, it was found that the dungeon, along with two of the four walls were not completely demolished, but instead the stones from the walls were taken down to fill ditches in preparation for construction of the Louvre Palace.

During the construction of the Louvre Pyramid, the bases of the keep and the two walls were cleared. A major excavation campaign resulted in the discovery of hundreds of everyday life objects. They are now accessible to the public in a collection named Medieval Louvre which features the lower room (today known as the Salle Saint-Louis) and the objects found during the excavations (small games, jugs, flasks, ...).

  • First excavation of the medieval Louvre by Adolphe Berty in 1866
    First excavation of the medieval Louvre by Adolphe Berty in 1866
  • The 1980s excavation of the Louvre's keep
    The 1980s excavation of the Louvre's keep
  • Remains of the Louvre's basement level, restored and opened to the public in the 1980s
    Remains of the Louvre's basement level, restored and opened to the public in the 1980s
  • The Salle Saint-Louis photographed in 2014
    The Salle Saint-Louis photographed in 2014
  • Pottery unearthed during the 1980s excavations
    Pottery unearthed during the 1980s excavations
  • Dominoes, dice and other games
    Dominoes, dice and other games

Notes

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Medieval Louvre Castle

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
The Medieval Louvre Castle was a fortress constructed by King , known as Philip Augustus, starting in 1190 to defend the western approaches to along the right bank of the River against potential invasions from the north, particularly by English forces during the Angevin Empire's threats to Capetian territories. Designed as a integrated into the city's enclosing wall, it comprised a central cylindrical keep, or Grosse Tour, surrounded by a quadrilateral curtain wall reinforced with towers and protected by a broad fed by the river, embodying the era's advancements in stone to deter sieges and artillery. In the mid-14th century, during the , King Charles V repurposed the structure as a royal residence, commissioning architect Raymond du Temple to enclose the courtyard with Gothic galleries, erect additional towers, and create luxurious interiors such as the grand Salle Saint-Louis hall and private chapels, thereby shifting its primary function from military outpost to symbol of centralized monarchical power while retaining defensive capabilities. These modifications, completed by 1380, included landscaped gardens and enhanced water management systems, reflecting pragmatic adaptations to sustain royal governance amid ongoing conflicts. Archaeological investigations in the , undertaken during the Grand Louvre renovation, unearthed the castle's subterranean foundations, including the keep's base and remnants, alongside artifacts like medieval and gaming pieces that evidence both elite and life, corroborating contemporary chronicles with empirical traces of construction techniques and occupancy. The fortress's gradual above-ground demolition from the 1520s onward accommodated expansions under Francis I and successors, yet its subsurface legacy underscores the causal evolution from feudal defense to absolutist splendor in French architectural history.

Name and Etymology

Origins and Linguistic Evolution

The etymology of the name "" is uncertain and has been debated since at least the , with no consensus among historians. The term first appears in connection with the site in late 12th-century records, coinciding with the construction of Philip II Augustus's fortress around 1190–1200, though the toponym may predate the structure and refer to the surrounding wooded area on Paris's right bank. One prominent hypothesis links "" to the Latin (or lupera), denoting a place haunted by wolves (), as the pre-fortress terrain was a forested swamp likely inhabited by . This interpretation, referenced in sources like the Grand Larousse Encyclopédique, posits the name as a descriptive toponym for the wild locale before urbanization, with early forms such as Turris lupara (Wolf Tower) applied to the emerging keep. An alternative theory, advanced by 17th-century French historian Henri Sauval, derives the name from a Frankish or Old Saxon term leovar or leower, glossed in an purported ancient Latin-Saxon dictionary as "tour ou donjon" (tower or keep), implying a fortified enclosure. Sauval's claim, drawn from a now-lost glossary, suggests a Germanic linguistic substrate reflecting the site's defensive purpose rather than its ecology, though the source's authenticity remains unverified. Other proposals connect it to Old French lovier (early 14th century), possibly from lodarium or a term for an open, ed turret or domed structure, evoking architectural features of early medieval fortifications. This view emphasizes a building-related origin over topographic ones. Linguistically, the name evolved little from its and forms—Luvrecum or in early documents—to the modern Louvre, retaining phonetic stability through Middle and Classical French without significant morphological shifts.

Construction and Design

Founding and Strategic Purpose

The medieval Louvre Castle was constructed under the orders of King , known as Philip Augustus, beginning in 1190. This fortress formed a key component of the extensive city walls he initiated around in the 1180s to enclose the expanding urban area and bolster defenses. By 1200, the structure included a massive cylindrical keep, known as the Grosse Tour, surrounded by seven smaller towers connected by thick walls, all protected by moats fed by the Seine River. The strategic purpose centered on safeguarding from external threats, particularly during Philip Augustus's absence on the Third Crusade from 1190 to 1191. Positioned on the right bank of the at the southwestern extremity of the new , the Louvre addressed a weak point in the fortifications, guarding the road to and controlling river access against incursions from English-held territories under the Plantagenet kings. As a fortress rather than a royal residence, it housed troops to patrol the walls and deter marauders, while the keep functioned as a secure strongbox for royal treasury and documents. This placement exploited the site's natural advantages, including proximity to the river for and , yet vulnerability to that necessitated robust defenses. The fortress's design emphasized deterrence through imposing scale and readiness, reflecting 12th-century priorities amid ongoing Anglo-French conflicts.

Architectural Features and Fortifications

The medieval Louvre Castle, initiated by King Philip II Augustus around 1190 and substantially completed by 1200, adopted a plan measuring roughly 72 meters by 78 meters, emblematic of early Capetian military emphasizing defensive solidity over residential comfort. Its enclosing walls, constructed primarily from blocks, averaged 7 to 8 meters in thickness at the base, rising to heights of about 10 meters, with crenellated parapets for archers. Four circular towers, each with a diameter of approximately 8 meters, projected from the corners to enable enfilading fire against attackers and to deflect siege projectiles, a design innovation reflecting empirical lessons from contemporary conflicts like the Third Crusade. At the fortress's heart stood the Grosse Tour, a central circular keep erected circa 1200, measuring 15.6 meters in and estimated at 31 meters tall, functioning as both a final and secure repository for royal treasures and documents. Accessed via a dry inner 9 meters wide and 6 meters deep, the keep featured thick walls exceeding 5 meters and minimal ground-level openings to minimize vulnerability to undermining or battering . The structure's basal vaults supported upper levels used for storage and defense, underscoring a causal emphasis on vertical dominance and compartmentalized resistance in prolonged sieges. Encircling the entire complex was a wet , about 10 meters wide and fed by the nearby River, enhancing hydraulic defenses against sappers and facilitating the transport of construction materials. Entry was controlled through the Grande Vis, a fortified on the eastern side with a , , and machicolations for dropping projectiles, designed to bottleneck assailants into kill zones. These elements collectively prioritized empirical deterrence through layered barriers, as evidenced by the absence of successful assaults during the castle's primary military phase, aligning with Philippe Augustus's broader strategy of fortifying against Anglo-Norman threats.

Military and Defensive Role

Protection of Paris

The Louvre Castle, initiated by King Philip II Augustus in 1190, formed a critical bastion in the defensive perimeter of , anchoring the western extremity of the city's enclosing wall along the right bank of the River. Constructed amid escalating threats from English forces under the Plantagenet dynasty, particularly from , the fortress aimed to secure the capital during the king's expedition (1190–1192) and subsequent conflicts. Its strategic placement commanded riverine approaches, a primary vector for invaders, thereby shielding from downstream assaults via the . Integrating seamlessly with the Wall of Philip II Augustus—erected from the 1180s onward—the Louvre augmented the enceinte's robustness, featuring encircling ramparts, gatehouses, and a deep drawn from the river to impede siege engines and advances. The central grosse tour, a cylindrical keep exceeding 30 meters in height and 15 meters in diameter with walls up to 5 meters thick, provided elevated vantage for archers and while housing a of soldiers tasked with vigilant patrol. This configuration not only deterred direct assaults but also functioned as a royal treasury vault, preserving fiscal resources essential for sustained defense. Throughout and 14th centuries, the castle's fortifications contributed to Paris's resilience against recurrent Anglo-French hostilities, including the looming specter of English incursions following Philip's territorial consolidations in northern . By fortifying the underdeveloped western suburbs and riverfront, it prevented breaches that could exploit Paris's expansion beyond earlier Carolingian defenses, maintaining the city's integrity as the Capetian monarchy's power base.

Historical Engagements and Effectiveness

The Medieval Louvre Castle, erected between 1190 and the early 1200s under King II Augustus, functioned principally as a bulwark against potential Anglo-Norman incursions via the Seine's to . Its robust construction—including a 30-meter-high cylindrical keep with walls averaging 7 meters thick, a surrounding fed by the river, and an internal well and cistern for sustaining garrisons—prioritized endurance over offensive capabilities. No contemporary accounts document direct assaults or sieges on the fortress itself during this foundational phase; instead, its presence as an anchor for the king's expanded city enceinte deterred invaders, enabling to prosecute campaigns such as the 1204 reconquest of without exposing the capital. This strategic restraint contributed to French consolidation, exemplified by the 1214 , where secured rear defenses allowed decisive field engagement. In subsequent centuries, the castle's military engagements remained indirect, overshadowed by Paris's broader vulnerabilities. During the (1337–1453), internal factionalism between Armagnacs and eroded unified resistance; control of the city from 1418 facilitated English entry under Henry V, with troops occupying the Louvre without opposition in late 1420 following the . The fortress served as an English headquarters until 1436, amid a depopulated and strife-torn , underscoring that its physical strengths could not compensate for political capitulation. Artifacts from later excavations, including weaponry and provisioning stores, attest to its readiness for defense, yet the occupation proceeded via handover rather than storming, preserving the structure intact. The Louvre's defensive effectiveness stemmed from deterrence and integration into urban fortifications rather than tested combat resilience; its unbreached walls reflect the high costs of medieval warfare, where attackers often preferred negotiation or bypassed isolated strongpoints. By the mid-14th century, urban growth and Marcel's new walls supplanted its frontline role, though reinforcements under Charles V (r. 1364–1380) maintained functions alongside royal adaptations. Ultimately, the castle exemplified causal priorities in Capetian strategy—securing and symbolism over isolated heroics—proving efficacious until systemic factors like civil discord and gunpowder's rise diminished such bastions' primacy.

Conversion to Royal Residence

Modifications under Charles V

Upon ascending the throne in April 1364, Charles V initiated a comprehensive transformation of the Louvre fortress into a royal residence, commissioning architect Raymond du Temple to oversee the project. This shift was motivated by the king's desire to relocate from the , linked to the 1358 uprising led by Étienne Marcel, establishing the Louvre as the primary seat of royal power and court activities for enhanced security against English threats and Parisian unrest. Works progressed from 1364 until Charles V's death in 1380, integrating the original Philippe Auguste-era fortifications—including curtain walls, towers, the southern grand portal facing the , and the eastern access—while adding new floors to existing structures and constructing additional buildings. The redesign emphasized functional separation between public and private domains, with ground-floor public spaces in the south and west ranges featuring the grande chambre du roi and grande salle for official receptions. Private quarters were concentrated in the north range, comprising the king's six-room apartments on the second floor—including the chambre du roi, chambre de retrait, chambre à parer, salle, and two night chambers—and the queen's lodgings on the first floor. A pivotal addition was the Grande Vis, a monumental central linking the grand portal to the upper private levels, decorated with sculptures depicting the royal family. Further enhancements included repurposing the northwest Tour de la Fauconnerie into France's first royal in 1368, occupying the three upper floors and housing over 900 manuscripts. Aesthetic improvements, such as new windows, turrets, chimneys, and pinnacles, contributed to its nickname, the joli Louvre ("pretty Louvre"), marking a departure from purely defensive architecture toward residential comfort while retaining defensive capabilities. These modifications preserved the fortress's core, including the central grosse tour keep and west-south residential wings, adapting them for dual military and palatial use.

Usage as Administrative and Living Quarters

Following the completion of renovations in the late 1360s, the Louvre served primarily as the official royal residence for Charles V (r. 1364–1380), who relocated the court from the Palais de la Cité to distance himself from associations with urban unrest. The palace accommodated the king, Queen Jeanne de Bourbon, courtiers, advisors, and servants, functioning as a hub for royal living and political activity. Private quarters were situated in the north range: the king's lodgings occupied the second floor with six interconnected spaces, including the chambre du roi, a chambre de retrait, the chambre à parer (measuring 19 m by 11.76 m), a salle, and two night chambers; the queen's apartments filled the first floor with five chambers, a salle, and smaller private rooms. Administrative functions integrated into daily court life, with the Grande Chambre hosting sessions of the Great Council for major deliberations. Routine governance occurred in the royal lodgings, where Charles V received petitions from subjects and conducted state affairs, particularly in the chambre à parer, which doubled as a ceremonial venue for significant events. Access was stratified: public visitors limited to the courtyard and ceremonial halls, while nobles and princes entered private areas via the monumental Grande Vis staircase, adorned with sculptures. Complementing residential and administrative roles, Charles V established a royal library in the three upper floors of the Tower (tour de la Fauconnerie) by 1368, housing illuminated manuscripts and supporting scholarly pursuits amid governance. This setup underscored the Louvre's evolution into a multifunctional seat of Valois monarchy, blending domestic comfort with monarchical authority until Charles V's later preference for the .

Decline, Demolition, and Transition

Obsolescence and Abandonment

By the late , following the extensive modifications under Charles V (r. 1364–1380), the Louvre's role as a primary defensive stronghold diminished as expanded and new city walls incorporated the site, rendering its outpost function redundant. The advent of gunpowder artillery further eroded the effectiveness of its 12th-century design, with high keeps and thick walls proving vulnerable to cannon fire in evolving siege warfare, a shift observed across European fortresses by the . Successive monarchs increasingly favored alternative residences, contributing to the castle's gradual neglect; Charles VI (r. 1380–1422) relocated to the for its greater comfort and proximity to administrative centers, while the Louvre served only sporadically amid the disruptions of the (1337–1453), during which maintenance lapsed and parts fell into disrepair. By the reigns of Charles VII (r. 1422–1461) and (r. 1461–1483), royal presence shifted to sites like the Château de Plessis-lès-Tours and , prioritizing seclusion and modern amenities over the Louvre's austere Gothic interiors, which lacked the spacious galleries and hygiene of emerging Renaissance-style palaces. The castle's obsolescence accelerated under early Valois kings like (r. 1498–1515), who invested minimally in upkeep despite occasional use for ceremonies, as the structure symbolized outdated medieval militarism amid France's cultural pivot toward Italianate and centralized absolutism. By 1515, upon Francis I's accession, the Louvre was viewed as an eyesore—cramped, damp, and ill-suited to royal prestige—prompting its effective abandonment as a residence in favor of and plans for total reconstruction, culminating in the 1546 demolition order that erased most medieval remnants above ground. This transition reflected broader causal dynamics: the causal primacy of technological military evolution and monarchical preferences for symbolic grandeur over functional , unmitigated by nostalgic retention despite the site's historical significance.

Renaissance Demolition and Rebuilding

In 1528, King Francis I ordered the of the medieval Louvre's keep, the central Grosse Tour, to clear space for a new royal palace inspired by , reflecting his patronage of and classical styles following his Italian campaigns. This act ized the transition from a defensive fortress to a of monarchical grandeur, with the keep—once the castle's strongest defensive element—razed to accommodate expansive courtyards and facades. The extended to surrounding medieval structures, including parts of the western and southern wings, as the enclosure's walls were partially retained but enveloped by new constructions. On August 2, 1546, Francis I commissioned architect Pierre Lescot to oversee the redesign, beginning with the reconstruction of the western facade, which involved systematic dismantling of the old château's irregular medieval outlines to impose symmetrical proportions. Lescot, collaborating with sculptor Jean Goujon, erected the between 1546 and 1551, featuring ornate Mannerist details such as caryatids and classical orders that contrasted sharply with the fortress's austere military design. After Francis I's death in 1547, his successor Henry II accelerated the works, filling in the former moats and integrating the remaining medieval towers into the emerging palace layout, though these were later obscured or removed. The rebuilding prioritized aesthetic elegance over fortification, with the project costing substantial royal funds and employing advanced stonework techniques imported from , yet it preserved the Louvre's perimeter walls as a foundation for the unified U-shaped that would define its 16th-century form. By the mid-1550s, the transformation had fundamentally altered the site's function, rendering the medieval castle's internal defenses obsolete and establishing the as a center for courtly life and artistic display.

Archaeological Investigations

1980s Excavations and Discoveries

Archaeological excavations at the Louvre commenced in April 1984 as part of the Grand Louvre renovation project initiated by President , targeting the Cour Napoléon and Cour Carrée to prepare for the construction of the glass pyramid entrance and underground facilities. These digs, expected to conclude before early 1986, uncovered extensive remains of the 12th-century fortress erected by Philip II Augustus between 1190 and 1202, including the base of the central keep (grand donjon), which measured approximately 100 feet in height originally, massive stone walls, and the filled-in that had been backfilled in 1528. Additional structures revealed included foundations of towers, the support for a , and 14th-century modifications by Charles V, such as the base of a circular staircase. The Cour Carrée excavations specifically exposed the fortress's basement level and inner courtyard elements, while the Cour Napoléon dig, one of the largest urban preventive archaeology projects in spanning 1984 to 1986, yielded over 8 million artifacts spanning medieval to modern periods. Key discoveries included 100,000 fragments from the , weapons, construction tools, coins, glassware, toys, and a knight's from the early , alongside later items like 18th-century silver coins, , and porcelain, providing evidence of continuous occupation and Paris's urban evolution. These findings confirmed the fortress's role as a defensive stronghold and later royal residence, with the excavated foundations restored and opened to the public in the late 1980s as the Medieval Louvre exhibit, allowing visitors to view the subterranean remains beneath the museum's galleries.

Preserved Remains and Artifacts

The preserved remains of the medieval Louvre castle consist mainly of subterranean foundations, sections, and vaulted chambers exposed during excavations conducted between 1984 and 1985 in the Cour Carrée as part of the Grand Louvre project. These include the massive stone base of the central keep, originally constructed around 1200 under Philip II Augustus, measuring approximately 28 meters in diameter and up to 7 meters in height for its preserved portions. Sections of the encircling , about 10 meters wide and 3 meters deep, along with remnants of the fortress's corner towers and defensive walls, demonstrate the original bastioned design intended to protect from western approaches. Later 14th-century modifications under Charles V, such as reinforced basement vaults like the Salle Saint-Louis, are also visible, showcasing the transition from military stronghold to royal residence. These structural elements have been stabilized, restored, and integrated into the Louvre's underground exhibit spaces, opened to the public in the late , allowing direct access to the site's without further disturbance. The preservation efforts preserved over 2,000 square meters of medieval fabric, including arrow slits and corbel supports, providing tangible evidence of construction techniques from the Capetian era. Artifacts recovered from the digs, primarily from fills in wells, moats, and refuse deposits, number in and illuminate daily life within the fortress. Domestic , such as four-handled gourds and jugs unearthed from a well in the original , dates to the 13th-14th centuries and reflects standard Parisian ware production. items, including bone dice, , and (osselets), were found in similar contexts, indicating recreational activities among members and staff. These objects, now displayed alongside the architectural remains, offer empirical insights into the non-elite inhabitants' , distinct from the site's later palatial phases. No significant or weaponry caches were reported, underscoring the utilitarian nature of the preserved assemblage.

Reconstructions and Modern Interpretations

Historical Plans and Models

No original architectural plans from the medieval period of the Louvre castle have survived, with reconstructions relying on later archaeological evidence and historical accounts. The fortress, initiated by Philip II Augustus between 1190 and 1202, featured a rectangular enclosure measuring approximately 78 meters by 72 meters, encompassing ten towers and a central circular keep known as the Grosse Tour with a 15-meter diameter, all surrounded by moats for defense. In the , excavations provided foundational data for detailed plans. Adolphe Berty's 1866 map, derived from his digs uncovering Philippe Auguste's foundations, illustrated the original layout with subsequent modifications. advanced these efforts in his Dictionnaire raisonné de l'architecture française du XIe au XVIe siècle (1856), producing a ground-floor plan of the castle as reconfigured under Charles V (r. 1364–1380), which integrated residential extensions like the grande chambre and eschansonnerie around the fortified core while retaining the moated enclosure. Physical models emerged later to visualize transformations. A depicting the after Charles V's enhancements, including added pavilions and gardens within the walls, was constructed in 1988–1989 by Rémi Polonovski Munier and installed in the 's underground medieval remains exhibition in 1989, aiding public comprehension of the site's evolution from fortress to residence. More recent reconstructions, such as Jean-Claude Golvin's aerial rendering of the and adjacent Hôtel de Bourbon under Charles V, incorporate excavation data to depict urban integration along the . These plans and models, while informed by empirical remnants like basement foundations and pottery shards, involve interpretive elements; for instance, Viollet-le-Duc's emphasis on functional has been critiqued for potential over-rationalization, though corroborated by 14th-century accounts of Charles V's expansions for royal use.

Scholarly Reconstructions and Debates

Early scholarly reconstructions of the medieval Louvre fortress, initiated in the , drew primarily from historical chronicles and limited excavations, such as Berty's 1866 probe that uncovered foundations of Philip II Augustus's towers. These efforts, exemplified by 's 1856 plan depicting a square enclosure with eleven round towers and a central cylindrical keep roughly 30 meters in diameter, emphasized the structure's defensive role against northern incursions, aligning with accounts of its completion around 1202. However, such visualizations often incorporated interpretive liberties, as Viollet-le-Duc's rationalist approach prioritized architectural logic over sparse empirical data, leading to debates on precise tower placements and internal layouts absent direct evidence. Subsequent works, like the Comte de Clarac's 1826 cavalier view and Fedor Hoffbauer's circa 1880 depictions of the Louvre under Charles V in 1380, built on these foundations but varied in emphasis; Hoffbauer's illustrations highlighted post-fortress residential transformations, including added pavilions and the moat's infilling, yet faced scrutiny for romanticizing elements like rooflines and elevations without stratigraphic confirmation. A key debate centered on the keep's height—estimated at 31 meters in some analyses—and its symbolic versus purely military function, with scholars like Michel Fleury arguing for integrated defensive-symbolic intent in Philip Augustus's cylindrical tower designs, contrasting earlier views of isolated bastions. The 1980s excavations, conducted amid Louvre renovations, provided transformative empirical data, exposing the Grand Donjon's base, remnants, and wall footings that corroborated overall dimensions but refined details like curtain wall phasing, resolving minor disputes over completion timelines (circa 1202 versus 1210). These findings corrected prior underestimations of the fortress's scale and corrected speculative interiors in 19th-century models, confirming thick walls (up to 4 meters) and strategic orientations. For V's modifications (1364–1380), validated the Grande Vis staircase's helical form and royal apartments' integration, though debates persist on the extent of burgher-era influences effaced by his campaigns, as reconstructed in updated models emphasizing legitimacy through spatial renewal. Modern computer-aided reconstructions, informed by this data, continue to debate subtle features like entry gate configurations, prioritizing verifiable over documentary inference.

References

  1. http://paris.cdh.ucla.edu/louvre/
  2. https://www.history.com/articles/six-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-louvre
  3. https://www.getty.edu/cona/CONAFullSubject.aspx?subid=700008968
  4. http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/arth214_folder/louvre.html
  5. https://louvreguide.com/louvre-history
  6. https://presse.louvre.fr/the-louvre-pyramidnbspturns-30/
  7. https://pariscreationsvirtuelles.com/en/pages/larcheologie-sous-le-louvre-les-vestiges-de-la-forteresse-medievale
  8. https://lifeinruralfrance.com/the-louvre/
  9. https://blog.oup.com/2021/02/the-louvre-and-its-environs/
  10. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26378892
  11. https://www.visitamuseum.info/post/louvre-where-history-art-and-culture-converge
  12. https://www.unjourdeplusaparis.com/en/paris-insolite/dou-vient-le-nom-du-louvre
  13. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Louvre
  14. https://www.livingafrenchlife.com/new-page-3
  15. http://www.photo-culture.com/index.php/2012/01/23/555-paris-muse-du-louvre-by-night
  16. https://www.etymonline.com/word/louver
  17. https://www.parisinsidersguide.com/louvre-museum-history.html
  18. https://mymodernmet.com/louvre-history/
  19. https://www.paristickets.com/louvre-museum/history/
  20. https://www.thevintagenews.com/2019/02/11/louvre/
  21. https://www.academia.edu/12295118/Medieval_Towers_or_a_Pre_History_of_the_Louvre
  22. https://www.travelfranceonline.com/louvre-palace-and-medieval-fortress/
  23. https://www.theparisproject.net/the-wall-of-philippe-auguste
  24. https://myprivateparis.com/main-rulers-for-the-louvre/
  25. https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Wall_of_Philip_II_Augustus%2C_Paris
  26. https://www.persee.fr/doc/rvart_0035-1326_1992_num_97_1_348001
  27. https://historyofinformation.com/detail.php?id=273
  28. https://www.parisinsidersguide.com/louvre-history2.html
  29. https://smarthistory.org/louvre-colonnade/
  30. https://brittlebooks.library.illinois.edu/brittlebooks_open/books2009-08/richee0001louvre/richee0001louvre.pdf
  31. https://inventionland.com/blog/louvre-journey-time/
  32. https://www.francealumni.fr/en/news/the-louvre-musuem-celebrates-230-years-8633
  33. https://www.louvre.fr/en/explore/the-palace/at-the-heart-of-the-renaissance-palace
  34. https://paris-story.com/louvre-medieval-fortress
  35. https://www.rostarchitects.com/articles/2023/1/6/the-louvre
  36. https://www.claudinehemingway.com/le-journal/2022/8/3/pierre-lescot-renaissance-architect-of-the-louvre
  37. https://www.artandobject.com/news/inside-look-history-louvre
  38. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/04/science/paris-s-past-unearthed-in-digs-at-louvre.html
  39. https://webtv.univ-lille.fr/video/12070/petites-histoires-pour-une-grande-fouille-la-cour-napoleon-du-louvre-1984-1986
  40. https://paris1900.lartnouveau.com/paris01/louvre/le_chateau.htm
  41. https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010113333
  42. https://www.timeout.com/paris/en/art/the-best-artwork-to-see-at-the-louvre
  43. https://www.thefrenchhistorypodcast.com/chapter-12-le-grand-louvre/
  44. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plan.chateau.Louvre.png
  45. https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010475281
  46. https://jeanclaudegolvin.com/en/gallery/paris-the-louvre-and-the-hotel-de-bourbon-under-charles-v/
  47. http://lukebutcher.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-contradictions-of-viollet-le-duc.html
  48. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26378893
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.