Tour Charlemagne (Tower of Charles the Great), Tours
On June 4, 800 AD, the wife of Emperor Charles the Great (Charlemagne), died. Her name was Luitgarde d'Alemanie. Tradition has it that the Emperor buried his wife in or near the Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours. The tower of Charlemagne is a remnant of the ancient building. The actual tomb of the Empress has never been officially certified.
The basilica in place in 800 AD was replaced in 1014, when Herve de Buzancais, treasure of Saint-Martin, built a Romanesque basilica over the site. Originally this building had three towers, two in front and one at the transept. Two other towers were added, The Charlemagne Tower to the north and the Cadran Tower to the south.
The Charlemagne tower was set on firm foundations. The southern tower was placed over the vaults of the transept. In time this latter move proved to be a bad idea. Only the Tower of Charlemagne has stood the test of time.
The tower was restored in 1962 along with the rehabilitation efforts of the Tours old town district. The tower is Romanesque on the lower floors and Gothic above. Two lower floors can be accessed by a spiral staircase in a turret. The top floor can be reached through an internal spiral staircase.
The basilica in place in 800 AD was replaced in 1014, when Herve de Buzancais, treasure of Saint-Martin, built a Romanesque basilica over the site. Originally this building had three towers, two in front and one at the transept. Two other towers were added, The Charlemagne Tower to the north and the Cadran Tower to the south.
The Charlemagne tower was set on firm foundations. The southern tower was placed over the vaults of the transept. In time this latter move proved to be a bad idea. Only the Tower of Charlemagne has stood the test of time.
The tower was restored in 1962 along with the rehabilitation efforts of the Tours old town district. The tower is Romanesque on the lower floors and Gothic above. Two lower floors can be accessed by a spiral staircase in a turret. The top floor can be reached through an internal spiral staircase.
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Tour Charlemagne (Tower of Charles the Great) on Map
Sight Name: Tour Charlemagne (Tower of Charles the Great)
Sight Location: Tours, France (See walking tours in Tours)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Tours, France (See walking tours in Tours)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Tours, France
Create Your Own Walk in Tours
Creating your own self-guided walk in Tours is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Historical Churches
The French city of Tours is forever linked to the Battle of Tours, a pivotal event in European history. Taking place in 732 AD, this momentous encounter saw the Frankish leader Charles Martel, a devout Christian, successfully repel a substantial army of Spanish Moors, thus effectively halting the Muslim advance and ensuring the preservation of Christianity throughout Western Europe.
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Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Had it... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.7 Km or 1.7 Miles
Tours Old Town Walk
Having successfully preserved much of its historic heritage, Tours is particularly famous for its original medieval district 鈥� Vieux Tours. The bulk of it is concentrated around three squares: Place du Grand March茅, Place Plumereau and Place de Chateauneuf.
A stroll through the Old Town, day or night, offers many delights, and is best started at Place Plumereau. Lined with wood-framed,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
A stroll through the Old Town, day or night, offers many delights, and is best started at Place Plumereau. Lined with wood-framed,... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Tours Introduction Walking Tour
The Roman Emperor Augustus named the city Caesarodunum (Hill of Caesar). But it was always Tours. Caesar left the Tours Ampitheatre, the largest amphitheater of the Empire. It's good to be Caesar.
Tours is located on the River Loire. It stands between Orleans and the Atlantic shore. It is famous for the Battle of Tours in 732 CE when Spanish Moors led by Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi was... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles
Tours is located on the River Loire. It stands between Orleans and the Atlantic shore. It is famous for the Battle of Tours in 732 CE when Spanish Moors led by Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi was... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.7 Km or 2.3 Miles