Well of Vauban

The rotunda covering the well was rebuilt to the original. The work was completed in 2012. The idea for this reconstruction came about when texts relating to the destruction of the building in the 19th century came to light in the contemporary municipal archives. Until then, it was thought that Vauban's well had existed but that the aedicula on top of it had remained in the planning stage. Since no one in living memory had any memory of it, an in-depth historical study, directed by Michel Trubert, Chief Architect of Historic Monuments, was carried out in 2007, in order to verify the existence of the well mentioned in the texts. It is highly probable that a cistern already existed in the Middle Ages on this square where the market was held. It was intended to contain the run-off water from the sloping square. Vauban was particularly interested in this water reserve, which would prove absolutely necessary in the event of a siege. Indeed, all the water that supplied the town (canal and fountains) came from outside the ramparts. In his "Project of the works to be made in the city and in the castle", he wrote: "To deepen the well started on the place of arms until there is sufficient water, to make a vault above it with a coping of ashlar, a pavement around it of two toises wide in glacis, not to cease this deepening that one is not mandated the state or it will be and the quantity of water which it will be able to provide every 24 hours" (1 royal toise = 1.949 m). The "voutte" refers to a part covering the well and the "margelle" to a masonry turret. Numerous archival documents dating from 1694 to 1828, kept by the army at the Service Historique de la Défense at the Château de Vincennes, have confirmed the writings of the municipal archives and thus revealed the presence of the rotunda.
Two examples can be cited:
- in 1792, work was undertaken: "The roof of this well was redone, as well as the pulleys, the seals and their supports". In 1839, the roof was in ruins but no repairs were made because the well had been condemned for many years due to a strange case: in 1781, private individuals had thrown a corpse into it to avoid prosecution. It was only in 1852 that the shape of the building was first seen. This sketch was drawn up with a view to demolishing the well turret, which impeded traffic in the square, and replacing it with a cast-iron bollard (the latter was never installed).
The particular shape of the roof was confirmed by another drawing dated 1857. The destruction of the building finally took place in 1858.
Thanks to this well, the whole of the Place d'Armes is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.