Castle-Thierry
Castle-Thierry is a common French, located in the department of the Aisne and the area Picardy.
Its inhabitants is of Castrothéodoriciens, Castrothéodoriciennes or Castelthéodoriciens, Castelthéodoriciennes.
During the French revolution the city was called Castle-Equality.
The city owes its name with Thierry IV, last king mérovingien, who was locked up there by Charles Martel, thus marking the advent of the dynasty Carolingien. Castle-Thierry is the birthplace of Jean of the Fountain and is located in the area of the battles of the Marne.
Geography
Castle-Thierry is to approximately 90 km with the east-north-east of Paris and to 60 km of Rheims on the A4.
The city is located on the Marne. In Picardy, but with the borders of the Ile-de-France, and already a foot (of Vine) in the Champagne.
The station of Castle-Thierry is the terminus of a line FOR THE THIRD TIME of the east of the Ile de France, but is also one of the stations of the interregional line (Ile de France, Picardy, Champagne) of the line " Valley of Marne".
History
The first occupations go back from Old from Iron with traces to burials. At the time Roman, a secondary agglomeration came to be established to with it benefitting from its site on the crossing from the Marne and the Soissons-Troyes road. About the 8th century, Charles Martel, that which was going to overcome the Berber ones with the Bataille of Poitiers (732), came to be installed on the mountain of Chesneaux which dominates the valley. It was made there build a palate and a smallholding. In 721, he imagined to make build a strong Château in the immediate dependence of his, on an important position which dominated a Roman roadway repaired by the queen Brunehilde. He went to seek in the Abbaye of Chelles a young prince, wire of Dagobert III, which bore the name of Thierry. Crowned, it was Thierry IV. Wanting that this young prince remains foreign with the government of the kingdom, it confined it in the fortress. It was the origin of the city which extended on the current site from Vaucrises. Thierry IV died in 737, at the 23 years age.Having succeeded his/her father Charles Martel, died in 741 with Quierzy-on-Oise, Pépin the Brief was oint in 754 by the Pape Etienne II, in the Basilique of Saint-Denis. The pope, who needed a military support against his neighbors, agreed to legitimate then a change of Dynastie: the Mérovingiens succeeded then the Carolingien S.
Castle-Thierry was the site of important a battles in 1814.
Castle-Thierry was the site of an important battle of the First World War in 1918, between the American troops and the German troops .
ImageSize = width: 350 height: 373
PlotArea = left: 50 bottom: 50 signal: 30 right: 30
DateFormat = x.y
Period = from: 0 till: 20000
TimeAxis = orientation: vertical
AlignBars = justify
ScaleMajor = gridcolor: darkgrey increment: 5000 start: 0
ScaleMinor = gridcolor: lightgrey increment: 1000 start: 0
BackgroundColors = canvas: sfondo
BarData=
bar: 1962 text: 1962
bar: 1968 text: 1968
bar: 1975 text: 1975
bar: 1982 text: 1982
bar: 1990 text: 1990
bar: 1999 text: 1999
PlotData=
color: width barred: 30 align: left
bar: 1962 from: 0 till: 10006
bar: 1968 from: 0 till: 11049
bar: 1975 from: 0 till: 13491
bar: 1982 from: 0 till: 14557
bar: 1990 from: 0 till: 15312
bar: 1999 from: 0 till: 14967
PlotData=
bar: 1962 At: 10006 fontsize: S text: 10.006 shift: (- 8,5)
bar: 1968 At: 11049 fontsize: S text: 11.049 shift: (- 10,5)
bar: 1975 At: 13491 fontsize: S text: 13.491 shift: (- 10,5)
bar: 1982 At: 14557 fontsize: S text: 14.557 shift: (- 10,5)
bar: 1990 At: 15312 fontsize: S text: 15.312 shift: (- 10,5)
bar: 1999 At: 14967 fontsize: S text: 14.967 shift: (- 10,5)
TextData=
fontsize: S pos: (20,20)
text: Evolution of the population of Castle-Thierry, source INSEE
Administration
hone LEMRET and not LEMERET F CANIVET
Tourist monuments and places
List listed monuments with the historic buildings of Castle-Thierry- the ruins of the old castle in 1932.
- Old convent of the Capuchins in 1988
- Church Saint-Crepin in 1957.
- House " Jean of Fontaine" in 1910.
- Door Saint Jean in 1921.
- Door Saint-Pierre in 1886.
- Hotel with 68 rue Saint-Martin in 1943.
- Private mansion with 10 rue Saint-Martin in 1996
- Turn and fragments of the old ramparts , street of the Bar in 1927.
- Temple protesting, place of the town hall in 2003.
- Turn Balhan in 1926.
The castle
The site of the Château is on a hillock overhanging the city. The occupation of the site goes back to the 5th century, but the rampart S were built gradually between the 9th century and the 17th century, in particular by the count Thibaut IV of Blois (count of Blois and Champagne).
Rock isolated from fifty meters height and more than four hundred meters length, initially Gallic oppidum, then place mérovingienne, the castle sheltered in the first strong house the lazy king Thierry IV under the supervision of Charles Martel. The counts of Champagne Thierry and Thibault raised of them the ruins at the 10th century and 12th century.
At the beginning of, the walls of the Castle (where had remained of the kings and the ministers) are shaven, leaving only the ramparts, the Door Jean Saint and the Postern. It remains little of trace today of the building of the time of the counts de Champagne, with his keep, its church, its cemetery, its handing-over, its stables, its furnaces, its stores, its mills, without forgetting curious “the well about the Abyss”, the undergrounds and the turns. In the center was the keep built with by Charles Martel for the king Thierry IV, small son of Dagobert III.
At the 12th century fifteen turns were built whose principal ones were the tower of the King (thus named because at the 10th century the king of France Charles Simple the was locked up there during four years by Hugues de Vermandois, then lord of the city), then the red tower (because the vault was panelled red bricks) and the tower of Bubble (the family of Bubble having controlled the city during nearly two hundred years). The turns were spaced one of the other of approximately fifty meters.
One reached the castle by the Saint-Pierre door, finished at the end of the 14th century. Contrary to the popular belief and the commemorative plaque appearing there, Jeanne d' Arc ghost of Rheims in company of Charles VII after his sacring in 1429, did not pass under this door. Actually, Jeanne d' Arc arrived by the Southern door of the city and is arisen by the Northern door. It was to drive out English who occupied Castle-Thierry during eight years, of 1421 to 1429).
At the time, Castle-Thierry had 4 doors. Today, it does not remain any more that the Saint-Pierre door.
Then, passing under an ogival arcade (destroyed in 1845) one reached the door Midsummer's Day (which dates from the 14th century).
In the enclosure of the castle one found successively the Notre-Dame church of the castle, dating from the 13th century, then the gallery built at the 16th century located slightly in withdrawal of the tower of Bubble and the tower of the King. It was there that the king Louis XIII placed when it resided at Castle-Thierry of 1631 to 1635. Richelieu had been made build a house at the other end.
With the Middle Ages, the castle did not include/understand less than 2.000 men-at-arms.
The castle has Cuisine S monumental dating from the end from the Moyen-âge, revealed by archaeological excavations.
Saint-Crepin church
The Saint-Crepin church is the only church of Castle-Thierry, who however counted three pennies of them the old mode (destroyed after the sale of the national goods, in 1793). It (at the 15th century) was initially established out of the enclosing walls, but is now located a little at the east of the downtown area. The tower of the bell-tower, high, 36 m remains visible since banks of the Marne.
The Saint-Crepin church was built most probably (with the site of an old vault of the 10th century) at the end of XIVe or the beginning of the 15th century. It was called Saint-Crepin “out the walls” and became parish church only after the disappearance of Notre-Dame of the Castle (of which there remains still the Crypte, in very bad condition). It seems however that before the disappearance of Notre Dame of the Castle, there was first of all like first parish church, that called of the Benoite Madeleine (XIIIe century), currently municipal building.
Outside are located the principal gate with its carved door of the time Louis XIII and the secondary gate at midday.
Inside, the dresser of Orgue of the 15th century was altered, but one can observe the balustrade of the 16th century, decorated of 19 statuettes occupying of the niches with shells and representative of the women: the ones are virtues, the others of the pagan Sibylle S, because those were allowed in the sacred art of the Renaissance, because the theologists affirmed that they had announced a Messie. One finds sibyls with Rome among the frescos of the the Vatican, with the Chapelle Sixtine (on the vault painted by Michel-Angel) and in some rare churches; it is to say that the balustrade of the organ case of Crepin Saint, presents an private interest to the eyes of those which study the religious art in all forms. The principal sibyls are the following ones:
- Side baptismal font: the sibyl of Samos carrying a crib on its arm, that of Érythrée holding with the hand a pink, the Persian sibyl carrying a lantern, that of Phrygie with the column of scourging;
- On the front of the platform, the Caroga sibyl showing a crown of spines. One finds the same sibyls with the same attributes with the cathedral of Beauvais.
In addition to the sibyls, one can notice: faith with a cross; the Capacity bearing a broken column; justice with a sword and a balance; a woman holding a purse, undoubtedly Charity; another woman with a clock personifying Temperance.
The organ loft was supported by elegant columns very finely carved which, bending, had to be replaced by cast iron pillars, these columns are currently with the principal museum.
The pulpit is 18th century: it constitutes a very neat work of this time.
Around the chorus several stone statues are which are the work of a local artist: Gauthier. This one came to be fixed at Castle-Thierry at the time of the Restoration, one does not know anything of his past, it carried out the statues of the chorus about 1824, those represent the Evangelists, Saint Crepin and holy Martin.
Two are to be announced: that of Crepin Saint whose expression is simple and natural and that of Saint Jean whose expression is extatic. It is told that Gauthier would have received for this important work three small ecus. Not very satisfied with these thin wages, it would have modelled its own full-length portrait, the piteous mine and showing its empty pocket, so that the faithful ones deposit their mite in this original trunk which was exposed close to the main door.
Certain local historians claim that the stoup being at the entry of the church, against the first pillar of right-hand side, would be the old baptismal tank having been used with the Baptême as Jean of the Fountain. This assertion is not pressed on any document, but it is probable, because the current baptismal tank is certainly not.
Saint-Crepin had a Jubé which was destroyed, like many others at the 18th century, because one showed these monumental gantries to deprive the chorus of the church of too much light. Under jubé of Saint-Crepin the bench of the family of Jean of the Fountain was.
The statue of Holy Cénéric and small the reliquary evoke a page of the local history: at the 10th century, the monks of the monastery of Hyesine (the Sarthe) reducing in front of the barbarians, had carried with them the relics of their founder: Cénéric saint (born with Spolèle). Arrived in front of Castle-Thierry, these monks, with the sight of the castle built on a rock had the idea to ask for to the lord of the time (Heribert de Vermandois) the authorization of deposit the aforementioned relics with Notre-Dame of the Castle where they remained during long years, then were transported to Saint Crepin after the disappearance of Notre-Dame of the Castle.
Tables furnish the walls with Saint-Crepin: an inventory drawn up in 1891 notes the existence of 21 tables. There remains nothing any more but one ten about it, of very unequal values. Some must draw the attention of the visitor for particular reasons, often independent of the interest of work:
- “Appearance of Jesus with Marie Alacoque”, due to the brush of Jacquinet, raises Large the, deceased one in Castle-Thierry where it had come to be withdrawn.
- Two fabrics embedded within oval marble frameworks belonging to the general decoration of the chorus. These paintings, of which one represents two connected martyrs that one thinks holy Crepin and holy Crépinien, and the other the Angel of the Annunciation, are of a simple execution and pleasant colors.
Finally the principal part which is placed at the top of the door at midday: the baptism of the Christ of Vivien, is of much the most beautiful fabric which Saint-Crepin has. Vivien was pupil of the Brown one (1657 - 1734), its biography appears in Large Larousse and the museum of Louvre has two works of him.
Balhan turn
The Balhan tower is a vestige of an urban hotel: the hotel of the gold sheep (built by Jean Balhan in 1480). It is classified historic building since 1926. The tower contains a stair-well to screw, an old vault and a room of guet.
What remains, or what was restored Strong Saint-Jacob, residence of the counts de Champagne who preferred it with the castle when they came, of Layered branches, to spend a few days on our premises.
A 33 height meters square tower, surmounted by a roof in the shape of octagonal slate arrow covered. With the East, two round turrets, equipped with hexagonal roofs. With the West, two small triangular pyramids fixed on the lathe.
An interior staircase preserved well leads to a Gothic vault then at the old room of the guet and finally, with the foot of the scale which gives access the platform of the bell-tower.
One celebrated the mass in the vault until the Revolution. The Balhan tower, which holds its name of Balchan or Balhan, Master of the attic with salt of Castle-Thierry at the end of the 15th century and undoubtedly, giver of a bell, played in the history of the city much more the part of a belfry that of a station of defense.
Since 1874, two external dials supplement well the unit “clock communal” whose tower was acquired the privilege during the centuries.
Hospital
The hospital of Castle-Thierry was founded in 1304 by Jeanne de Navarre, wife of the king Philippe IV Beautiful the.
The establishment was very modest until 1698, date on which the king Louis XIV attached to him twenty eight maladreries (small hospitals looking after the leprous ones) surrounding area.
-
“the localities interested by this fastening had to make at the hospital the abandonment of their goods funds, in compensation they were entitled to a certain number of days of disease proportioned with the importance of the abandoned goods. ”
- (H. Chaloin - Adviser XI.59).
During centuries, the buildings were increased until their demolition (after 1870). A new hospital was built since 1876 and was inaugurated in 1879. During work, the patients were neat with Charity (today Bellevue).
In 1890, the old walls of the city which enclosed the hospital at midday, were demolished except for the tower of angle which is used as tomb with the nuns of the establishment (the tower of Augustines).
It is hardly possible to speak about the hospital without evoking the memory of Madam of Bretonière which at the end it 17th century made adopt the order of Saint Augustin, and of which the uncle and aunt, Mister and Madam de Stoppa, were the benefactors and restorers of the hospital. One sees their mausoleum in the vault of the hotel God.
The institution of Jeanne de Navarre, queen of France, seems to have made its time. She does not fulfill any more the requirements of the modern life. Another hospital was born on the heights. Only the memory of a secular devotion remains eight times, preserved today by an local association, which organizes visits of the museum of the hotel god on reservation.
American memorial the Aisne-Marne
Built in 1933 on dimension 204, to 3 km in the West of Castle-Thierry, the monument offers a wide sight of the valley of the Marne. It is composed of imposing doubles colonnade dominating a paysagée terrace. Large statues symbolizing the United States and France, linked by a long friendship, decorate its side western , while the side is shelters an eagle with also impressive dimensions. Under this sculpture the following inscription is engraved:
- “TIME WILL NOT TARNISH THE GLORY OF THEIR EXPLOITS”
Below, a large chart of the area, conceived by Paul P. Cret, recalls the progression of the American forces starting from July 18th, 1918. In front of the chart, a table of orientation indicates the directions and the distances from the points of historical interest.
In 1928, thanks to the plans of the architect in charge of the construction of the monument, Andre FLEECE, Master-craftsman cabinetmaker with Castle-Thierry, completely manufactured a model of the monument out of wooden. After the Second world war, this model was offered to the museum of the town of Mobile in Alabama (the United States) where it is toujous exposed.
| Random links: | Hilaire Benoit Reynaud | Moghreb de Tétouan | Jean Venturi | Wilhelm Bjerknes | Metz Mantach |