The davecote tower
In the 14th century, the third and last enlargement of the city of Rouen for this period was built. In the area of what was once called the market gardens of the Hospice Général (formerly bathed by a diversion of the Robec), the enclosure was then composed of simple palisades, because in this marshy area, attacks were hardly feared.
From the beginning of the 15th century, in 1408, stone replaced wood and the Tour du Colombier was the first tower to emerge to complete the fortifications. Built on stilts, with a diameter of 9 metres, comprising a ground floor and two upper floors, it is "round on the outside and sloping on the inside" as described in contemporary documents. The platform at the top is surrounded by gargoyles and machicolations, where artillery pieces were later installed. In view of the progress made in this type of weaponry, it was decided at the beginning of the 16th century, between 1514 and 1547, to build a second tower, 30 metres in diameter, with walls about 5 metres thick, pierced with loopholes and covering two-thirds of the first tower. In 1584, a raft, a sort of cannon platform, was built next to this second tower, completing the ensemble and thus affirming its defensive and military role. Over time, other modifications were made: a stair turret on the north side enlarging the diameter of the tower as well as a cavalier (a fortification element allowing artillery to be placed at a higher level than the walls).
During the Hundred Years' War, the tower was not directly attacked by the English during the siege of the town, and one chronicler even reported that its cannons put the English cannons out of action. It was only stormed and partially dismantled once in its history, in 1562, during the siege of Rouen by the troops of King Charles IX. Partly demolished in 1748, it was then included in the donations made to the Bureau des Pauvres Valides, the future Hospice Général. Then, it was definitively razed in 1812. At the beginning of the 19th century, a sort of half-timbered pavilion was built on its foundations, which was first used to house student nurses, and then, from 1977, boarders. This building is still today the Rouen University Hospital's boarding school.
The name "Tour du Colombier" comes from a dovecote located in the Chantereine estate belonging to the Duke of Normandy, which stood on this site long before the construction of the fortifications.