THE UNUSUAL SIDE OF VERDUN

Erected in 1928, the War Memorial dedicated to the Citizens of Verdun is built inside the La Chaussée demi-lune, part of the fortifications constructed by Marshal Vauban in the 17th Century. The Memorial occupies the site of the former military slaughter-house destroyed in 1916. The statues represent the five arms of service of the French Army engaged in the battle of 1916. From left to right we can make out: a cavalryman, an Engineer sapper, an infantryman, also known as a “poilu”, an artilleryman and a reservist. These five soldiers form a human wall symbolising the motto of the City: “They will not pass”. On the base of the monument are inscribed the names of the soldiers from Verdun who died in the First and Second World Wars. See also: A statue of General Sarrail facing the monument, and a bust of General Mangin fixed on the rampart wall to the right. NOTE : The patriotic calendar of Verdun is well-filled, and among others, the commemoration ceremonies of 1st and 11th November take place in front of this monument.

This fortified gatehouse served as the official entry to the city ever since its construction in the 14th Century, as part of the Grand Rampart which surrounded Verdun in the Middle Ages. The gatehouse was offered to the city by Wautrec, a rich citizen who was an alderman. It symbolised the new status of Verdun which was made an “imperial free city” in 1374. By this the city was obliged to maintain its own ramparts and to look to its own defence in the case of an attack. See also : The defensive features of a medieval rampart, the portcullis, arrow-slits and the drawbridge mechanism, the decorative and useful features of a medieval building such as the gargoyles.

Representing a wounded warrior supported by a winged Victory, this figure group by the sculptor Rodin was proposed in 1879 as an entry in a competition organised by the Conseil Général of the Seine, to commemorate the resistance of the Parisians against the Prussians in 1870. Felt to be too violent for the time, the statue was not adopted. In 1916, the Netherlands government asked for permission to have a bronze copy cast, to offer it to the city of Verdun. The order was completed in 1920 and the statue installed at Verdun, firstly in De la Roche Square at the Saint Paul Gate, and later, on Frères Boulhaut Promenade.

The initiative was launched by the Association des Membres de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole (AMOMA) Meuse, organizer of the Congrès National de l'Association des médaillés de l'Ordre du mérite Agricole in Verdun from June 17 to 19, 2016. In this context, AMOMA Meuse has decided to make up for the lack of recognition given to rural women, by erecting this monument. To bring this project to fruition, a public subscription was set up to raise the necessary funds. Made of Lorraine stone from Savonnières en Perthois and Jaumont, the work comprises a sculpture by Denis Mellinger and a base containing the "Ordre du Mérite Agricole" medallion and the following inscriptions: "HONOR AND AGRICULTURE 1914-1918 1939-1945 "

Added to the ramparts in the 19th Century, it is composed of two arched passages (entry and exit), each one protected by a drawbridge. The Gate allowed the Army conscripts arriving at the Station to enter the city centre, and reach the Jeanne d’Arc Barracks. In the 1920s the ramparts around the lower city, weakened by the bombardments of 1916, were pulled down. The only surviving remnants are the Saint-Paul Gate along with the Tour Chaussée. The former has been decorated with commemorative plaques dedicated to victory in the Battle of Verdun and to the reconstruction of the city.

The first abbey dedicated to Saint Paul was built in the 10th Century outside the city ramparts, on the spot where the sixth Bishop of Verdun, Paul, was buried. It was attacked by the citizens of Verdun in the 13th Century during a dispute with the current Bishop, then demolished in 1552 on the orders of the King of France. It was rebuilt on the present site in around 1560, then remodelled for the third time in the 18th Century. The buildings of the former Abbey are shared by the Sub-Prefecture and the Court of Justice. NOTE : The library of Saint Paul’s Abbey is now the Cloche d’Or Hotel.

This chapel was built in the 18th Century, and was formerly the chapel of the Jesuit College, established in Verdun in 1570. It was dedicated to Saint Nicolas because it was built on the former site of the medieval Saint Nicolas de Gravière Hospital. It also bears the name of an adjoining college, in memory of the Buvignier family, notable citizens of Verdun. See also : The impact of an explosion during the 2nd World War.

This is the oldest gateway in Verdun. Built in the 12th Century, the Châtel Gate was part of the former ramparts which enclosed the upper part of the city. It controlled access to the city from Mont Saint Vanne, on which was built the famous Benedictine Abbey of Sainte Vanne. This gate and a remnant of the old rampart still show medieval defensive features such as battlements and loopholes. SEE ALSO The attached dwelling, built during the Middle Ages in the ramparts of the city, The water tower, offered by the City of London during the rebuilding of Verdun.

Verdun's cathedral was the first religious building to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary and is one of the oldest churches in Europe. Wars and the conflicts arising from the geographical situation of the Bishopric of Verdun have left their marks on the cathedral but it has become a symbol of a town that constantly rises from its ashes. Because of its history, it displays every architectural style, from Rhenish Romanesque to Baroque. It has 10th-century pillars, a 12th-century crypt and chapels dating from the 14th to 16th centuries and 18th-century. A fire destroyed the cathedral roof on 2 April 1755 and the building then had to undergo restoration. This was when Bishop de Nicolai and Canon Chaligny de Plaine, who had extensive knowledge of art history, brought the Baroque style into the cathedral's interior decoration. The baldaquin at the junction of the transept and the east side of the chancel dates from this period. The cathedral's stonework bears traces of First World War artillery shells. Make sure you visit the crypt, a gem of Romanesque architecture and a memorial to the soldiers who fought at Verdun in 1916 (west pillars in the crypt). Guided tours available.

These stairs date back to the Middle Ages. Originally they were carved directly in the rock, as a means of access between the upper city, seat of the ecclesiastical power in the person of the Bishop, and the lower city, a place of commerce. The wooden niche containing a statue of the Virgin Mary marked the border between the jurisdiction of the lower city and that of the Cathedral chapter. See also : At the top of the stairs, the ancient inscription on the forged iron ramp reading « au frais de Mr. Bousmard grand Prévôst, Claude Amil a faict ceste besogne. 1595 ». (« Paid for by the Grand Prevost Mr. Bousmard, Claude Amil carried out this work. 1595 ».)

Located in the former guardhouse just opposite the Citadelle Souterraine in Verdun, visitors discover a museography that bears witness to the soldiers' daily lives, following the careers of Michel Dupré, a Mayenne draughtsman who joined the army in August 1914, and Pierre Brancher, a photographer in the same regiment. Camille Tridon's private collection of drawings, photographs, objects and costumes by Poilus is on display. On-site militaria store and restaurant La Cantine des Poilus.

In 1959 Minister of Culture André Malraux offered to François Schleiter, Mayor of Verdun, a collection of 16 large statues representing Generals and Marshals of the First and Second Empires as well as the First World War. They had originally been intended to line the boulevards of Paris. Among the historical personages represented are Cambronne, Oudinot and Exelmans. See also The bastions dating from the 17th Century, the New Gate (under restoration) and its guardroom, the entry to the “Artillery” galleries leading to the powder magazines of the Underground Citadel.

The Saint-Amond Lock Bridge is one of three such constructions conceived by Marshal Vauban in the late 17th Century, to reinforce the South-Eastern part of the city’s defences. The bridge contained the mechanism to flood the upstream sector, to prevent an enemy’s artillery from coming within range of the city. Finally completed in 1867, it is the only remaining example to have survived the tumultuous history of Verdun. It is well preserved, and the machinery to set in motion the flooding is still in working order.

Completed in 1623 for Nicolas Japin, supplier of gunpowder to French King Louis XIII, this superb private residence was inspired by the Parisian building style of the 17th Century. As with the Citadel which was built at the same time, it was one of the initial milestones in the French administration’s presence in Verdun. It was purchased in 1744 by the City Council. And it was here, where so many important decisions were taken, that the tragedy of the death of Commandant Beaurepaire was played out in 1792. The building suffered a fire in 1864 which necessitated restoring its roof. In 1916, braving the bombardments, the Sapeur-Pompier Regiment tasked with dealing with outbreaks of fire in the city, set up their base in the cellars of the Town Hall. The Medal Room displays the 26 French and foreign medals given to the city in 1916 at the height of the Battle.

Formerly known by the name of Saint-Croix Square, since 1837 this square has borne the name of François de Chevert (1695-1769), whose statue stands here, and who became Marshal of France in 1744. The square has a bronze medallion at the junction of the Pont Legay and the Quai de la République, which commemorates the heroic act by resistance fighter Fernand Legay. On 30th August 1944, when the American Army was on the point of entering the city, he succeeded in disarming a German bomb placed under the bridge adjoining the square, which was the only bridge capable of bearing the weight of the American tanks. A pillar of the Liberty Route marks the passing of General Patton’s Third Army on the same day. Verdun was officially liberated on 31st August 1944.

Built on piles at the end of the 19th Century, the Officers’ Mess was one of the buildings essential for the life of the garrison. It was offered to the Army by the contractors who built the forts, ouvrages and gun batteries which encircle Verdun. In 1890 the population of Verdun counted as many military personnel as there were civilians. Several barracks are still to be seen in and around Verdun.

Built in the 14th Century, it was part of the Grand Rampart around Verdun. Horseshoe-shaped in plan, it is also known as the Puty Tower. The name “Plaids” comes from the court sessions which were held in the tower during the Middle Ages. See also : The old rampart bordering the Puty Canal and the Islot Tower. NOTE : The Puty Canal flows underneath the Tower of the Plaids. It is one of the many branches of the Meuse. These canals remind us of the period when the tanners’ workshops, involved in work for the Army, formed an important sector of the industrial activity of Verdun.