Tour Marvis - Tournai

The Marvis towers, together with the Saint-Jean towers a little further in the Parc St-Jean (also called the Luchet towers), are among the rare remains of the second municipal rampart , which was built at the end of the 13th century. was built around Tournai in the early 14th century.

The towers are deeply buried and pierced by four Philippine archers , the two frontal of which were transformed into artillery archers in the 15th century (drilling a circular hole in the vertical slots) to adapt to the development of artillery. In the late 14th century - early 15th century they were covered with pepperbox roofs covered with slates or tiles, which have now disappeared .

These fortification elements were preceded by a large ditch supplied with water and known as the Little River. This ditch was filled in the second half of the 19th century and made way for the boulevards around the city. Finally, an intramural access tunnel was built in the towers probably in the 20th century.

Willem Vandenameele