Medieval enclosure at Tours, Medieval city walls in Tours, France
The Medieval enclosure at Tours is a 14th-century fortification system that runs along the Loire River, connecting the cathedral quarter with the basilica district. Today, the city's street layout still mirrors this original structure, with a preserved wall section visible in a public parking lot.
King Jean II ordered their construction between 1354 and 1368 in response to military threats from the Hundred Years War. The builders incorporated earlier Gallo-Roman ruins into the new structure, adapting existing foundations for defense.
The walls merged two separate urban communities into one functioning city, shaping how people thought about their hometown. This unification created a single shared identity that replaced the earlier division between the cathedral quarter and the basilica district.
The preserved wall section sits in a public parking area and can be easy to miss, so look carefully if you want to spot it. Walking through the old town helps you understand the original layout, as many streets still follow the medieval street plan.
The fortification featured a double moat system designed for maximum protection, but limited funding forced the builders to use less sturdy construction methods than originally planned. These compromises between ideal design and practical reality remain visible in what survives today.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
