Enceinte of Laon

En un regard

Le château en bref

The enceinte of Laon encloses the upper town, built on a hill. The Mérimée record notes ramparts from the ninth century, extended until the thirteenth century, then repaired and rebuilt until the mid-seventeenth century. The thirteenth century constitutes the main campaign: eighteen gates were then recorded, of which three of the most important survive, and only about ten of the forty original towers remain. A citadel was added in 1595 by the engineer Antoine Estienne and restored in the nineteenth century; the moats were filled in during the eighteenth century. The enceinte has been listed as a Monument historique since 1927 and belongs to the commune.