Part 16

There are two principal gateways in the walls, the Porte de l’Aude and the PORTE NARBONNAISE (Fig. 112), both strongly defended with towers and other works. There are also six posterns, all placed in angles so as to be masked by the towers, and generally several feet above the level of the ground. These were useful for relieving sentries, and for the movement of troops in the “lices.” Opposite some of the posterns the outer walls are provided with large barbicans (Fig. 113), in which soldiers might be concentrated for sorties. As above mentioned, the great circular barbican at the base of the hill was also employed for this purpose. Nothing could give a better idea of the multiplicity and complication of the means of defence then employed than the mode of connection between this barbican and the castle. The rampart or passage which led to the castle above was especially well fortified. It was steep, and the ascent was interrupted with several cross walls with doors, approached by steps which were all commanded from the walls and curtains above, and from a great tower at the top, all armed with _bretêches_ or hoards. Towards the upper end the passage turned to the right, and was flanked by the defences above. A small gate was then reached, within which the passage doubled back again to the left, and was stopped by another gate, beyond which it entered a narrow covered way of three storys in height, each commanding the one below by means of machicolations or apertures in the floor, so that, if the first floor was gained, the assailant found himself in a trap, and was battered from above. If all these defences were surmounted, the besieger was only the length of the “lices,” and had still above him the lofty walls and towers of the castle, and the strongly-fortified

postern, with its movable bridge, double machicolations, loop-holes, portcullis, and gates. Even within this, the entrance to the castle was impeded by a sloping and turning passage, furnished with numerous doors, and rising for twenty-three feet before the level of the courtyard was reached.

Such defences were almost impregnable, and are a good illustration of the intricacy of the fortifications adopted at that period. At a later time such contrivances were found to be a mistake, as they impeded the movements of the garrison. They proved a weakness rather than a strength by preventing men from being moved rapidly to a critical point at the required time. The leading idea, at this period, was to render every point of the defences independent of the rest. Each tower is, therefore, a separate fort; the castle and barbican are independent of the city walls, and could hold out although the town was in the hands of the enemy; and within the castle there are two independent towers or donjons, which might still form a refuge for the garrison for some time after the castle was taken.

The lofty square tower (_see_ Fig. 110), which was crowned with a _bretêche_, was carried up to a sufficient height to dominate the town and the whole surrounding country. This structure and some of the adjoining walls date from the twelfth century. The other buildings on the north side of the castle are of the time of St Louis. The inner enceinte of the castle with its towers and gates built by Philippe le Hardi (the latter part of the thirteenth century) are splendid examples of the military works of the period.

The walls of the towers surrounding the town are built with solid masonry in regular courses, with the face left rough. The lower part of the curtains is pierced with the long loops, sometimes 11 or 12 feet in length, then in use, and the top was fortified with hoardings or projecting wooden galleries, from the floor of which the defenders could drop stones and other missiles on the assailants, so as to keep them off from the base and prevent mining. All the walls and towers were furnished with these hoardings. The square holes in which the beams were inserted for carrying the galleries are still visible both in the outer and inner walls (Figs. 110-113).

The towers are placed at suitable intervals to enable the curtains to be defended from them by lateral fire, and some of them are strengthened with a projecting beak to prevent the sappers from approaching when the angle could not be well commanded from the adjoining parapets, as is the case in the tower at the N.W. angle of the walls seen in Fig. 111. One large square tower (shown in Fig. 111) called the “Tour de l’Evêque” joins the outer and inner enceintes together by bridging over the space between them. It has thus complete control over the lices both from apertures in the vault, and from the hoardings which were projected on the flanks. This tower derives additional interest from having been used by Viollet-le-Duc as his studio while superintending the work of restoration, and it contains a number of fine plaster casts prepared by him.

The parapet walk of the inner wall runs all round the battlements. In some cases it is interrupted by the towers (Fig. 114), and passes through them; in other cases it is carried round the exterior of the towers on the side next the town,--the former towers being posts for guards and sentinels, and the latter being intended to serve as independent posts for defence. Access to the walls is provided by good open stairs on the side next the town, as shewn in Fig. 114, which represents the interior of the walls at the same place, as Fig. 113 shews the exterior.

The ramparts of Carcassonne have been to a large extent restored within recent years; but still remain untouched on the eastern side (_see_ Fig. 112), where houses have been erected against the inner and upon the top of the outer walls, so as to convert the “lices” into a street. On this side the walls of the town are separated from the surrounding land, which here is rather high, by a wide and deep ditch. The high ground beyond the ditch was originally fortified with a large round tower (now destroyed) which is supposed to have communicated with the town by a subterranean passage.

Above the old houses on the walls are seen rising the great towers of the Porte Narbonnaise, each strengthened with a salient beak. Between these towers is the gateway. It had no drawbridge, but was defended in front by a great chain, a wide machicolation, a portcullis, and folding gates. In the centre of the vault over the archway there was a large opening, and the inner gateway was strengthened with a wide machicolation, a second portcullis, and a second gate. Besides these the towers were of course provided with their hoardings and a _bretêche_ projected over the gateway. The great angle tower, called the “Trésau,” and a large angle bartizan further protected the approach of the gateway, as seen in the sketch.

Such were the fortifications of Carcassonne, the chief frontier fortress on the side of Aragon, and there can be little doubt that against the means of attack then employed, they were practically impregnable.

The ancient Church of St Nazaire at Carcassonne may be taken as an example of the ruder form which the Romanesque style assumed in a district not far removed from Provence. It occupies the highest point of the height on which stands the ancient fortified _cité_ of Carcassonne.

The church is placed near the walls of the city, and the west end is elevated and fortified so as to form part of the defences. The entrance to the nave is by a twelfth century doorway in the north aisle. The building consists of two portions, which form a striking contrast with one another (Fig. 115); the nave of the eleventh century, and the Romanesque choir of the fourteenth, the former of a massive and gloomy design, the latter of the lightest and most elegant Gothic.

The older portion consists of a central nave and two side aisles, separated by enormous piers, which are alternately plain cylinders and squares with an engaged column on each face. The bases of the piers vary greatly in form--none of them being of Roman design, but all set upon a great square block. The caps of the cylindrical piers differ considerably, but consist of large mouldings, with corbels and billet ornaments. The pier arches are circular, and the aisles lofty, and vaulted with round arches. Rising from the caps of the cylindrical piers are short columns, the caps of which carry the pointed transverse ribs of the tunnel vault of the nave, which is also pointed, and probably belongs to the twelfth century. The caps of these short columns, and of the attached shafts of the square piers, are all very large and bold, and seem to be founded on Roman designs.

The light Gothic work of the choir, with its tall slender shafts, and walls composed almost entirely of mullions and stained glass, forms a brilliant termination to the vista of the ponderous nave. It belongs to a much later period than the latter, having been erected by Bishop Pierre de Rochefort, 1320-30. It is a palpable instance of the extension of the Gothic style of the Royal Domain along with that of the Royal Power, having been erected shortly after Carcassonne was united to France.

Viollet-le-Duc considers this choir one of the most instructive instances of the scientific method of construction adopted by the Gothic architects of the fourteenth century; and he points out that the architect has endeavoured to keep up the idea of the ancient nave in the new work by preserving in the choir the plan of the nave piers--those of the central compartments being square, with attached shafts, while the others are round on plan.

We shall now return to Aigues Mortes, which, it will be remembered, was reserved for consideration along with Carcassonne.

AIGUES MORTES is another town of the age of St Louis and his son Philip the Bold, the fortifications of which have, by great good fortune, been preserved almost untouched since the date of their erection. This probably arises from the fact that Aigues Mortes presents one of the most striking instances of the “villes mortes,” whose history is so feelingly depicted by M. Lenthéric. It stands in the midst of the lagunes and marshes which here cover a large extent of country connected with the delta of the Rhone. The origin of the town dates from the time of St Louis. At that period the Kingdom of France had not as yet extended to the Mediterranean, but King Louis, being a devoted Crusader, was very desirous that his country should possess a port on that sea, from which his armies might embark in their expeditions against the Infidels. This there was some difficulty in obtaining, the harbours on the coast being almost wholly subject to the Count of Béziers or the Count of Provence. It happened, however, that a small portion of the sea-coast, including a lagune and a navigable canal, which belonged to the ancient and wealthy Abbey of Psalmodi was available, and this King Louis secured from the monks in the year 1248, in exchange for other lands near Sommière. At

this place there existed an ancient tower, called the “Tour de Matafère,” said to be of the time of Charlemagne, who had bestowed it on the abbey.

The Tower of Matafère was rebuilt by St Louis, and renamed the “Tour de Constance” (Fig. 116). It is of great size, and was designed to form the citadel of the projected town of Aigues Mortes. It has frequently been supposed that, in the time of St Louis, this tower was washed by the waters of the Mediterranean, and that the sea, which is now some miles distant, has receded since then. But M. Lenthéric shews most distinctly that this is a complete mistake, and that the coast line was, in the thirteenth century, precisely where it now is. At that time, however, the town was surrounded with the waters of an inland lagune, through the shallows and marshes connected with which a canal had to be kept open for access to the sea, as was formerly the case at Narbonne, and still is in the lagune of Venice. The canal by which St Louis embarked on his crusades was called the Canal Viel. It was about five miles in length from the town to the opening in the sand dunes, called the “Grau Louis,” where it debouched into the sea. Since that time the canal from the town to the sea has three times changed its course. For about a century after the time of St Louis this port was greatly frequented by merchants from Genoa, but it has long been little used, and all the commerce of Aigues Mortes has now died away.

The walls of Aigues Mortes were traced out by St Louis, but the superstructure was executed by his son, Philip the Bold. The latter in 1272 took possession of the country of Toulouse and arranged with the Genoese Boccanera to construct the walls of Aigues Mortes for a sum equal to 88,500 francs. The town is laid out as a regular parallelogram with streets at right angles,

like the bastide of Carcassonne on the north side of the Aude. The walls are built with solid masonry, having the natural surface left rough or bossy. Fifteen towers surround the city and strengthen the curtains at the angles and on the flanks. There are nine gates, two principal ones, and the others smaller.

Being only a fortification of the second order the defences of Aigues Mortes are not nearly of so complete a type as those of the important fortress of Carcassonne. The towers are generally round, though some of them, following the Southern fashion, are square and project only slightly (Fig. 117). The gateways pass directly through the square towers, which, as we have seen at Avignon, was a decidedly Southern custom; and none of the circular towers have strengthening beaks. The towers are so placed with reference to the walls that some of them, as at Carcassonne, interrupt the parapet walk, while in others it is carried round the outside of the inner face of the tower, and is supported on large mouldings which form a continuous corbelling. This is shewn in the view of one of the towers above a gateway taken from within the walls (Fig. 118). The stairs giving access to the walls and the interior of the loopholes are also seen in this view.

The walls of the town, which are about 30 feet high, are all provided with a crenellated parapet, having long loops in the merlons between the embrasures. The wall heads have also been defended with wooden hoardings, the holes for the beams which carried them being very distinctly visible all round the fortress. The lower part of the wall is perforated with very long narrow slits. The interior recesses connected with these are formed with wide splays like window bays, and are provided with stone seats for the defenders (_see_ Fig. 118). Probably the great

length of the loops was to enable bowmen to operate both while standing on the floor and on the seats, or even on temporary wooden platforms at different heights, and also to aim their arrows either high or low. The open staircases leading to the walls are carried up on the side next the town in the same way as those of Carcassonne.

In approaching the town from the north the PORTE DE NIMES (Fig. 119) is first seen in front, while a long vista of the northern wall with its towers stretches to the left, and the Tour de Constance terminates the view to the right. This gateway has as usual a large strengthening round tower on each side, containing guardrooms, &c., and is so arranged as to form an independent post.

Till the fourteenth century, gateways of this description were defended with folding gates, portcullis, machicolations (or apertures in the vault over the entrance passages), and with _bretêches_ or hoardings projecting over the entrance, pierced with single, double, or even triple tiers of loopholes from which to attack the assailants. But there were as yet no drawbridges. At the Porte de Nimes evidences may be observed of a drawbridge, wrought with long balanced beams or levers passing through the wall, having been used; but it has evidently been introduced at a later time.

The walls of Aigues Mortes were entirely surrounded with a wet ditch (a few indications of which still remain), but it has for the most part been filled up and converted into a promenade. The ditch would be crossed with moveable wooden bridges which could be easily removed or destroyed.

A projecting stone balcony is corbelled out from one of the round towers of the Porte de Nimes. This was no doubt a station from which audience could be given to heralds or others wishing to communicate with the

town without the necessity of opening any of the gates or other defences. The fortifications present on plan a right angled parallelogram about 600 yards from east to west, by 150 yards from north to south, with a curved portion cut out of the north-west angle. At this point stands the donjon, or Tour de Constance (_see_ Fig. 116), built by St Louis, as above mentioned, on the site of the ancient Tour de Matafère in order to form the citadel of the town. This tower is of the simplest possible design, being a plain cylinder about 70 feet in diameter, with a talus or slope near the base. It is about 100 feet high, and was no doubt originally crowned with overhanging hoardings, and when fully equipped would present an appearance not unlike the well known great Keep of Couci Castle.

The Tour de Constance was surrounded with a special ditch, and was connected with the town walls by means of narrow wooden gangways, which could be easily removed. The top has been altered in the sixteenth century, and made into a platform, and provided with a parapet suitable for guns. Above the circular staircase in the thickness of the wall the watch turret rises to a considerable height, and is crowned with the iron grille which for long contained the fire which illumined the canal, and served as a beacon to the ships.

Simple as is the exterior of this keep, its interior is full of interest and beauty. The walls, as high as the first floor, are 20 feet in thickness. The basement contains the storage and has a well in the centre, over which an eye in the vaults above allows water to be raised to every floor.

The entrance door is on the first floor on the side next the town, and there is also a postern on this floor on the side next the country. From the landing at the former, a staircase leads to the second floor, and is so contrived that the lower part is completely overlooked and commanded from the upper part. At the landing where the staircase gives access to the great apartment on the upper floor, a beautifully arched and groined lobby is constructed, and is decorated with Gothic shafts and enriched caps.

The great hall on the first floor is vaulted in one span, with large pointed ribs springing from finely-carved caps. On the level of the floor there are recesses in the thick walls, giving access to long loops which descend far below the floor, so as to enable the defenders to shoot down as close as possible to the base of the tower. The postern is also seen from the inside (although now built up externally), with its portcullis (or rather a modern imitation) _in situ_. The interior is lit only by the narrow loop-holes, and is, therefore, very dark. A gallery runs round in the thickness of the upper part of the walls of the hall, with windows looking into the apartment from which it might be watched and commanded. Between the recess of one of the loops and the postern a fireplace is introduced, with an oven in the wall behind it. The hearth is covered with a boldly projecting hood, supported on two brackets carved with foliage. The angles of the hood have ornamental crockets, and the hood itself is carved in imitation of tiles. The whole work is massive and yet fine, and specially recalls, both in construction and ornament, the style of Couci. It has evidently been the work of a Northern architect brought with him by King Louis.

About two miles to the north of Aigues Mortes stands the “Tour Carbonnière,” which formed an outpost of the town. It was erected at the same time as the fortifications, and was placed so as to command the approach, which was only practicable by one course through the marshes and canals. It is a good example of a detached thirteenth century tower, and in style strongly resembles that of Villeneuve, at the west end of the bridge of St Bénezet, at Avignon.

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We shall now return to Marseilles, and strike eastwards by the Mediterranean Railway, along the Riviera.

For a considerable distance no architectural remains of importance are met with. The line passes through a rocky and mountainous country, the bare summits of the lofty peaks contrasting strongly with the rich verdure and luxuriant growth of the valleys below them, in which the subtropical vegetation of the Riviera now begins to shew itself.

After penetrating a mountain range by tunnel, the seacoast is reached, and some lovely bays are passed before sighting the lofty peaks of the mountains, each crowned with its fort, which surround and protect Toulon, the great arsenal of France on the Mediterranean. Architecturally there is little of interest in the town, but the harbour with its narrow antique quay, lined with houses fronting the basin, which is crowded with the peculiarly rigged trading vessels of the district, is well worthy of a visit. It recalls in some respects the Riva de’ Schiavoni at Venice, with its bustle and varied interest.

The railway to Hyères branches off the main line at La Pauline Station. Just before reaching this, the ancient and picturesque town of La Garde is passed. Its houses are clustered on the slope of a basaltic rock, the summit of which is crowned with the ruins of an ancient castle, and a church. The aspect of this old place forms a good introduction to the picturesque and decayed character of the numerous ancient towns to be met with all along the Riviera.

HYÈRES is the first reached in travelling eastwards of the great health resorts of the Riviera. It stands on the southern slope of a hill facing the sea, which is visible at a distance of about three miles off. The rocky summit of the hill is crowned with the ruins of an ancient castle, from which the steep and narrow streets of the old town radiate downwards. The town was formerly surrounded with walls, which have now been removed, and the space converted into a wide promenade, on which flourish the palms, oranges, and other tropical plants for which Hyères is famous. The modern houses and hotels are also situated on this fair terrace, while some remains of the gateways connected with the old ramparts are still preserved. Hyères stands high above the level of the sea and the plain which extends between it and the foot of the hill. It thus commands an extensive view to the south and south-west over the peninsula of Giens, and the Mediterranean dotted with the groups of Islands named after it, “les Iles d’Hyères.”

There is nothing remarkable in the history of Hyères. In Roman times a fortress existed here called Castrum Aræarum.

In the thirteenth century the place was held by the Count of Fos, who was dispossessed by Charles of Anjou. Thereafter the castle and town passed through the usual assaults and changes, and during the sixteenth century was in possession of the Catholics and Protestants in turn.