A little history of Provins medieval city

Oh, the nice medieval city! Quiet, nowadays, sure... but just imagine the blazing and prosperous past of this city, old fief belonging to counts of Champagne! Founded in the 9th century on a very strategical place, Provins became an important town, raised around the counts palace. Henri I the Liberal raised the big Caesar tower in 1175.

In 1226, count Thibault IV raised around Provins a high wall, more than 1 kilometre long! The town became one of the most fortified city in Europe... Oh, I hear what you're saying, they needed at least this in order to protect Provins, who became rich thanks to big fairs and to woolen cloth factory. But they also made cloth in Flanders... the competition!

Maybe it was that who ended the prosperous era of Provins? Probably, yes... France annexed Champagne in 1284, so it didn't help matters! They even annulled fairs and markets in town. The icing on the cake? The English besieged Provins during the Hundred Years War and occupied the Caesar's tower. In 1592, Henri IV besieged the town, too! Gosh it's an obsession, with them! The surrounding walls were demolished little by little but we still can see vestiges.