Castle Trompette, Medieval fortress in Bordeaux, France
Château Trompette was a rectangular fortress with six bastions, three ravelins, and defensive towers positioned to overlook the Gironde River and port. The structure sat directly on the riverbank and formed a significant part of the city's harbor district.
King Charles VII ordered the fortress built in 1453 following the Battle of Castillon to secure control of Bordeaux. The construction came after the end of English rule and solidified French presence in the region.
The fortress was a symbol of royal power over Bordeaux, shaping the relationship between the city and the French crown. Its construction showed the determination to firmly place the region under French control after centuries of English rule.
The former fortress sat on the riverfront in Bordeaux harbor, where only foundation traces remain hidden beneath modern structures today. Archaeologists occasionally uncover remains of the original installation during construction work in the area.
A detailed architectural model of the fortress, created under Vauban's supervision, is preserved today at the Museum of Plans and Reliefs in Paris. This model is one of the few complete records showing the actual structure of the installation.
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