Gregory of Tours Square:
So here we are in Gregory of Tours Square, Gregory is one of the oldest French historian. He became bishop of Tours in 572.
In front of you there is the former State General Hall that dated from the XII th transformed into the archdiocese's chapel with a beautiful XVI th c balcony. It was used to read the cleric judgement. Indeed here we are in the religious centre of the city. So this square was the perfect place to dispense justice.
You have to know the archbishop was a religious man but also he was a lord, indeed he had many domains. In this square the archbishop judged lordly cases thanks to this building, in the opposite direction. This building dates from the XV c it was the lord's courtroom. It was named “Justice des bains” “Justice of Bath” because this building is built on the former Roman Bath.
In fact we are on the foundation of the Roman town named Caesarodunum. This Roman city set up on a hill that overlooks the Loire. Beside, at he end of this street, there is the highest point of Tours. The 2nd hill of this territory was chose to establish Chateauneuf District.
We talk about the Bath but there was also the amphitheatre. It was situated on this way, you can notice the elliptic shape of the General Meusnier Street. The amphitheatre's walls were also used in the IV°c to built the fortification. The fortification had to protect Caesarodunum of Barbarian invasions.
Here we have the canon dwelling of St Gatien, besides on the dormers windows we notice the coat of arms of St Gatien Chapter. Their dwelling was close to the cathedral because the canons had to live in a religious territory. It dates from the XV c.
Castle of Tours
Here is the castle of Tours. Now it remains only two towers and this building. As you can see these constructions aren't the same period. Indeed, the central building dates from the end of the XVIII c. Its name is “Logis de Mars” . Whereas the two towers were built during the XIII c with a new medieval castle. But before there were other constructions here because it is a strategic place next to the Loire.
In the IX th the Count of Tours built a square tower to protect the city of Norman Invasions. Then,during the X th the count of Blois built a 1st castle, and when the Count of Anjou took the county of Touraine, they built a new castle. This castle was reinforced by Henri the II Plantagenet. At the beginning of the XIII th, the county was conquered by the French king. That's why at the end of the XIII th the French king Philip the 3rd the Bold decided to built a fortress around the keep built by Henri the 2nd Plantagenet in 1160. And these 2 towers formed part of this castle.
On the grass we can notice different archaeological remains of the former keeps. We can discern the bases of the square keep surrounded by square constructions as you can see. We know that at the corners there were rounded towers. It remains one of them, you can follow me to see it. At that time, the main bailey was situated at the same place than the “Logis of Mars”. The lower baileys was situated behind on the car park
Here we have a beautiful view of this tower. It's name is Guise Tower because of Charles de Guise, a prisoner who escaped of it. This rounded tower is a beautiful example of medieval tower because it kept for example its parapet walk with machicolations and its arrow slits.
There is an other interesting building, close to the castle. I propose you see it. Here is the “Logis des Gouverneur”, that is to say the governors dwelling of Tours. The governor was the person who managed the army, who was in charge of the military aspect of the city and it was built in the XV°c to police the city. And that's why its dwelling is next to the castle because it is the political centre of the city.
You can see clearly that the dwelling was built on the Roman fortification, Roman walls, so the castle set up on the Roman city Caesarodunum.
At the first floor we can notice 4 beautiful mullion windows in stone (and not in wood) and dormer windows decorated by crockets and fleurons.
