Tours history

Foundation and Ancient Period

The history of Tours begins long before the Common Era. Originally, the Gallic tribe of the Turones lived on these lands, later giving the city its name. However, it was founded as a proper urban center by the Romans in the 1st century AD. The new settlement was named Caesarodunum ("Caesar's Hill") and developed as an important administrative point of the Roman Empire.

Factors of Development

The transformation of Tours into a significant city was driven by several key circumstances:

• Geography: The city emerged in a strategically important location — on the isthmus between the Loire and Cher rivers. This provided natural protection and control over water trade routes.
• Religious Status: A decisive role was played by the activities of Saint Martin, who became the Bishop of Tours in the 4th century. After his passing, the city turned into one of the largest centers of Christian pilgrimage in Europe, second in importance only to Rome and Jerusalem.

Early Culture and Economy

In the Merovingian and Carolingian eras, Tours became an important cultural and economic center of France:

• Cultural Heritage: Thanks to the works of the bishop and historian Gregory of Tours (6th century), the city became a center for chronicling and preserving knowledge during the "Dark Ages". The scriptoriums of the Abbey of Saint Martin were famous for their manuscripts.
• Pilgrimage Economy: The endless stream of pilgrims to the relics of Saint Martin stimulated the rapid development of trade, the hospitality industry, and crafts, making the city wealthy and prosperous.

Major Milestones in the History of Tours

• 1st Century AD — The Romans establish the city of Caesarodunum ("Caesar's Hill") on the left bank of the Loire, which would later receive the name Tours.
• 371 — Saint Martin is elected Bishop of the city, thanks to whom Tours subsequently becomes one of the main centers of pilgrimage in Europe.
• 732 — The famous Battle of Tours (Poitiers) takes place in the vicinity of the city, where the troops of Charles Martel halted the Arab advance.
• 853 — The city suffers a devastating attack by Vikings, who looted and burned the famous Abbey of Saint Martin.
• 1204 — King Philip II Augustus definitively annexes the county of Touraine to the French royal domains.
• 1461 — Louis XI moves his residence to the Château de Plessis-lèz-Tours, making the city the de facto capital of France for several decades.
• 1470 — By royal decree, the first silk manufactory in France is established in Tours, marking the beginning of the golden age of local industry.
• 1589 — At the height of the Wars of Religion, Tours becomes a temporary refuge for King Henry III and the meeting place of the Parliament.
• 1846 — The opening of the railway line connecting Tours with Paris gives a powerful impulse to the economic and tourism development of the region.
• 1870 — During the Franco-Prussian War, the Government of National Defense led by Léon Gambetta is temporarily stationed in the city.
• 1920 — At the historic Congress of Tours, a split occurs among French socialists, leading to the formation of the French Communist Party.
• 1940 — At the beginning of World War II, the historic center of the city suffered serious damage from bombings and a massive fire.
• 1990 — The launch of the TGV Atlantique high-speed railway line reduced the travel time to Paris to one hour.
• 2000 — The Loire Valley, of which Tours is the cultural and historical center, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Key Stages of Tours' Development

The development of Tours is the story of the transformation of an antique settlement into a modern metropolis of the Loire Valley. Below are the main turning points that defined the modern appearance and status of the city.

• Formation of the "Double City" (Middle Ages). Historically, Tours developed as two independent centers: the antique "Cité" (administrative center) and the new "Châteauneuf" (commercial city around the Abbey of Saint Martin). Their gradual merger defined the unique elongated structure of the historic center.
• Status of Royal Capital (15th–16th Centuries). During the reign of Louis XI and his successors, Tours effectively functioned as the capital of France. This attracted nobility to the city, stimulated the construction of luxurious mansions (hôtels), and led to the flourishing of Renaissance architecture.
• Launch of the Silk Industry (1470). Louis XI's decree on the creation of silk manufactories turned Tours into a major industrial center. For two centuries, the production of silk and brocade was the backbone of the economy, ensuring the wealth of local merchants and population growth.
• The Great Urban Axis (18th Century). Engineering redevelopment of the city led to the creation of the main "North-South" artery (now Rue Nationale) and the construction of the Pont Wilson. This project finally united the scattered districts and set the vector for the development of the modern road network.
• Railway Expansion (from 1846). The arrival of the railway shifted the economic center of the city to the south. Around the monumental station, designed by architect Victor Laloux, new bourgeois districts (such as Prébendes) and park zones grew, shaping the modern center.
• Post-War Revival and Heritage Protection (20th Century). After the devastating bombings of 1940, the city not only restored the lost districts but was also one of the first in France to implement a system of "safeguarded sectors". This allowed the medieval atmosphere of Place Plumereau to be preserved, making it the tourist heart of the city.
• Integration into the TGV Network (1990). The launch of the high-speed line reduced travel time to Paris to one hour. This event transformed Tours into an attractive business suburb of the capital and the main logistics hub of the Centre-Val de Loire region.

Architectural Appearance and Urban Planning

The architecture of Tours reflects its rich history, combining medieval heritage with the monumentality of the royal era and the rationalism of the 19th century. The urban fabric is clearly divided into historical zones: labyrinths of old quarters and wide avenues laid out during the Age of Enlightenment.

Middle Ages: Gothic and Half-Timbering

The most recognizable layer of urban development belongs to the period from the 12th to the 15th centuries. It is characterized by narrow streets and dense buildings, preserved in the "Old Tours" (Vieux Tours) district.

• Style: Gothic (from Rayonnant to Flamboyant), traditional half-timbered construction.
• Iconic Sites:
  • Saint-Gatien Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Gatien): A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, built from the 13th to the 16th century. Its façade demonstrates the evolution of the style — from a massive base to the intricate "flamboyant" spires of the Renaissance era.
  • Place Plumereau: The center of the medieval quarter, surrounded by beautifully preserved 15th-century half-timbered houses with wooden frames and slate roofs.
  • Charlemagne Tower (Tour Charlemagne): A surviving fragment of the old Romanesque collegiate church, rising above the city's rooftops.

Renaissance: Italian Influence

In the 15th and 16th centuries, when Tours was the residence of French kings, elegant stone mansions inspired by the Italian Renaissance appeared in the city. Local white limestone (tuffeau) became the main material for decorative carving.

• Style: Early French Renaissance.
• Iconic Sites:
  • Hôtel Goüin: A rare example of a 15th-century private mansion with a richly decorated façade that survived the destruction of World War II.
  • Cloître de la Psalette: A complex adjacent to the cathedral, where Gothic structure and Renaissance decor (staircases, balustrades) blend together.

Classicism and 18th Century Urban Planning

In the 18th century, the city underwent massive redevelopment. The main "North-South" axis (now Rue Nationale) was laid, connecting the two banks of the Loire and turning Tours into a modern transit hub.

• Style: Classicism, engineering architecture.
• Iconic Sites:
  • Pont Wilson (Wilson Bridge): The city's oldest bridge (1765–1778), built of stone. Its 15 arches became a symbol of the reliability and engineering prowess of that era.
  • Archbishop's Palace: Now the Museum of Fine Arts, representing a strict and symmetrical ensemble of the classical era.

19th Century: Eclecticism and Beaux-Arts Style

With the arrival of the railway, the center of business activity shifted to the south. The second half of the 19th century gifted the city with monumental public buildings designed by the famous Tours native, architect Victor Laloux.

• Style: Eclecticism, Neo-Byzantine style, Beaux-Arts.
• Iconic Sites:
  • Tours Station (Gare de Tours): A magnificent building from 1898 with huge glazed spans and a stone façade, reminiscent of the Gare d'Orsay in Paris (also a work by Laloux).
  • Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville): A lavish building, richly decorated with sculptures and allegories, symbolizing republican values.
  • Basilica of Saint Martin: Built in the late 19th century in the Neo-Byzantine style on the site of the destroyed medieval abbey.

20th–21st Centuries: Modernism and Modernity

After the destruction of 1940, part of the center was rebuilt. In the late 20th century, the city was enriched with modern architectural objects that engage in a dialogue with the historical surroundings.

• Style: Modernism, High-tech, Postmodernism.
• Iconic Sites:
  • "Vinci" Congress Centre (Le Vinci): A futuristic building (architect Jean Nouvel), resembling the prow of a ship or an airship hovering over the station square.
  • Tramway Design: The modern transport system, designed by artist Daniel Buren, has become part of the city's visual code ("mirrored" design of the carriages).

Notable People of Tours

Tours has given the world many talented people and became home to historical figures who changed the fate of France. Below are key figures whose names are inextricably linked with the city's history.

Spiritual Leaders and Chroniclers

• Saint Martin of Tours (c. 316–397)
  Bishop of Tours, Patron Saint of France
  The third bishop of the city, whose charity and miracles made Tours one of the most important centers of Christian pilgrimage in Europe. His cult largely defined the economic and spiritual development of the city in the Middle Ages.
• Gregory of Tours (c. 538–594)
  Bishop, historian, and writer
  Author of the famous "History of the Franks" — the main source of knowledge about the early Middle Ages and the Merovingian era. He lived and worked in Tours, turning the city into a center for preserving antique culture and literacy during the "Dark Ages".
• Alcuin (c. 735–804)
  Theologian, scholar, and educator
  An Anglo-Saxon scholar invited by Charlemagne. Becoming the abbot of the Monastery of Saint Martin, he turned the School of Tours calligraphy into the center of the Carolingian Renaissance, where the famous script — the Carolingian minuscule — was developed.

Era of Kings and Renaissance

• Louis XI (1423–1483)
  King of France
  The monarch who preferred Tours to Paris, settling in the Château de Plessis-lèz-Tours. He effectively made the city the capital of the kingdom, established the first silk manufactory here, and fostered the economic flourishing of the region.
• Jean Fouquet (c. 1420–1481)
  Painter and miniaturist
  A native of Tours who became one of the greatest French artists of the 15th century. He is considered the founder of the French school of painting, combining the Italian Renaissance and Flemish realism in his works.
• Pierre de Ronsard (1524–1585)
  Poet, leader of the "Pléiade" school
  The "Prince of Poets", who spent the last twenty years of his life at the Priory of Saint-Cosme in Tours. His work glorified the beauty of Touraine, and the poet himself was buried within the grounds of his priory.

Cultural Figures of the 19th–20th Centuries

• Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850)
  Writer, classic of world literature
  The most famous native of Tours. Although he spent most of his life in Paris, images of his hometown and the Loire Valley often appear in his works, for example, in the novels "The Vicar of Tours" and "The Lily of the Valley".
• Victor Laloux (1850–1937)
  Architect
  Born in Tours, he gifted his hometown its architectural landmarks: the monumental station building and the lavish Town Hall (Hôtel de Ville). He is also known as the architect of the Gare d'Orsay in Paris (now the Musée d'Orsay).