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Campaign
to save a listed building at threat of demolition (Tournai, Belgium).
The "Pont des Trous" is one of the most prestigious vestiges of the
medieval military architecture in Belgium. It was part of the second
wall of the city and defended the course of the Scheldt along the town.
The tower on the left bank dates back to 1281, the one on the right
bank to 1302-1304.
Why a petition? Because it is unacceptable that we are passive
witnesses of the destruction of a unique monument in Europe. We
understand the economic challenge (allow the passage of larger boats),
but the current choice destroys the identity of the Monument. Other
solutions exist! On the other hand, we never denied the fact that the
central part of the "Pont des Trous" was destroyed during the second
world war and rebuilt in accordance with the needs of navigation.
However, as many historical monuments, the "Pont des Trous" has
evolved, over the centuries, without losing the elements that define it
as a "fortified gate".
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The
"Pont des Trous" is not a bridge in the classical sense of the term. It
is a water gate : a defensive structure that was part of the City walls
and its function was to control and protect access to the city by the
river (The Scheldt). The name comes from the presence of a lock
located nearby and was called "Les Trous" (Holes) by Tournaisiens .
Damaged during the
Second World War,
the "Pont des Trous" had a major restoration in 1948. The
Administration decided that the restoration of the building was to be
allowing passage of larger ships : the deck is raised 2.40 meters and
towers reduced by 1 meter. During discussions, the Administration
recalled that before the war, an ambitious project was imagined
: creating a diversion and conversion of existing bed of the Scheldt
basin at the Pont des Trous. This solution was preferred by the Royal
Commission of Monuments. Destruction suffered during the war leads to
a different choice.
Nevertheless, as many historical monuments, the Pont des Trous has
evolved over the centuries without losing the elements that define it
as a fortified gate. With the towers of Saint-Jean and Marvis, the
"Pont des Trous" is one of the few witnesses still visible
from
the second wall (thirteenth century) but also one of the last water
gates in Europe. Due to its heritage and historical interest, the
Bridge has been classified by the Walloon Region in 1991. The
classification decision concerned not only the building, but also the
docks and the Garden of the Queen (Le Jardin de la Reine)
With the Cathedral of Our Lady - Roman Catholic church, see of the
Diocese of Tournai in Tournai, Belgium, classified both as a Wallonia's
major heritage since 1936 and as a World Heritage Site since 2000 - and
the belfry - freestanding bell tower of medieval origin; one of a set
of belfries of Belgium and France registered on the UNESCO World
Heritage List -, the "Pont des Trous" is part of local identity. It is
a strong symbol for the city and its inhabitants. Since the nineteenth
century , in fact , a majority of postcards and photographs illustrate
the City of Tournai with the Bridge of holes in the foreground and the
Cathedral and the Belfry in the background.
2013 - The Seine-Nord Europe Canal is a project of a high capacity
canal in France that would link the Oise River at Janville, Oise, and
the Canal Dunkerque-Escaut, east of Arleux. The effect would be to
considerably expand trade flows while connecting to surrounding
northern European countries such as Belgium, Germany and the
Netherlands.
The goal is to allow the same thing on the Seine-Escaut link.
In June, the announcement made by the City of Tournai : 4 projects were
possible. In July, the media and the public had made their choice : a
bridge expanded but still stone. November the 5, the shock. The 6 , a
facebook group starts - Préservons l'identité
du Pont des Trous, Monument emblématique de Tournai -
https://www.facebook.com/pontdestrous. In 15 days, the City of Tournai gave the
possibility to citizens to contest the decision adopted :
remarks, observations (accordance with the reglementation). Since
November the 5 so we are waiting ...
Others solutions exist : Another architectural choice? bypass the monument? bypass the city? In
France, such a situation would be unthinkable. In Wallonia, this
example demonstrates that there is not the same cultural sensitivity.
Some pictures of the reconstruction taken after the second war world http://www.act-tournai.be/images/stories/Publications/bulletin12-2.pdf
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