The best walks and hikes around Sury

The original stained glass windows disappeared during bombings in 1815, 1870 and 1918. Today the basilica has an exceptional collection of contemporary stained glass windows, created between 1954 and 1979 by René Dürrbach, a friend of Picasso. Over 25 years, this artist has created a colossal set of 68 stained glass windows, unique in Europe, which honor the former 'Black Virgin' and the 'Virgin of Light' by referring to the universal symbols of colors, shapes and numbers, inspired through his collaboration with Henri Giriat. Since 2018, the former sacristy of the church has housed the Trésor d'art sacré des Ardennes, which contains around fifty masterpieces (ancient statues, precious relics, etc.) that were previously inaccessible to the public.

The construction of the Basilica of Notre-Dame-d'Espérance took more than a century between 1499 and 1615. The work was interrupted several times, for example during the siege of Mézières in 1521. The building is listed as a monument and is a masterpiece of the flamboyant gothic. However, the main portal and the tower break with the Gothic style and are built in Renaissance style, recognizable by the round arch and the coffers in the vault. The bell tower was built in the 19th century. The south portal is particularly opulent. King Charles IX and Elisabeth of Austria, grandniece of Charles V, entered through this door in 1570 for their wedding ceremony, even though the construction of the church had not yet been completed. The choice of Méeières had a strong symbolic value: reconciliation could be achieved through this strategic alliance.

King's Tower or Tour du Roy are fortifications built in 1544 under Francois I on the river Meuse. The tower was built by master builders Henri Roynel and Adam Souyn as part of the fortifications of Mezieres after the siege of the city in 1521. It has 6m thick walls with casements and firing embrasures. On the roof is a water tower built in 1855. It is listed as a historic monument.

AU CABARET VERT “Au cabaret vert” Acrylic & aerosol on wall – 7×18 m – Parcours Rimbaud – Charleville-Mézières – 2023 contact me MURAL Time flies MURAL Au cabaret vert MURAL Dancing Fishes MURAL Utopia MURAL Force of Nature MURAL The lacemaker MURAL Black Lights MURAL Three Little birds MURAL Générations STUDIO Rainy Day […]

The Tour Milard is a historic monument located in Mézières, part of Charleville-Mézières, in the Grand Est region of France. It is part of the old fortifications of the city. This tower was built during the repairs to the city walls after the siege of 1521. With a diameter of 27 meters, it envelops a tower of the original 13th century fortress wall of 9 meters in diameter that is visible on the inside. It is one of the city's two surviving 16th-century towers, along with the Tour du Roy.

The statue of Chevalier Bayard, also known as Pierre du Terrail, is located in Mézières, part of Charleville-Mézières, in the Grand Est region of France. The bronze statue was inaugurated on July 30, 1893 by the Minister of War, General Loizillon. The statue is 2m 80 high and the pedestal is 4m. Chevalier Bayard was a famous French knight of the 16th century, known for his military skills and impeccable character. The statue was placed near the school tower in Mialaret/Bayard Square.

The date 1577 is engraved above the door. Since its foundation, the castle has been owned by the same family, the Rimberts or Rymberts, although the surname has been passed down from father to daughter. Because this family did not emigrate, it survived the French Revolution without losing its property. Although citizen Rimbert, a former nobleman, was ordered to remove part of the fortifications, loopholes, battlements and gun ports from the fortified house during its most turbulent period, in 1794, Robert de Rimbert, a former soldier and invalid pensioner, was before the Revolution of 1789, at the beginning of the Revolution even asked by the inhabitants to command the National Guard. The castle originally had two towers on opposite corners and two rectangular watchtowers. In 1925, restoration work resulted in the widening of the windows and the creation of a second floor, with pedimented windows recessing into the base of the roof. The building was placed on the monument list in 1927. The house is now a private residence and is open to the public by appointment.

The Bayard footbridge spans the course of the Meuse. It forms the link between the Citadel and the Arches.