Camoufle Tower

The Camoufle Tower you see there is a remnant of the old medieval fortifications of Metz. It’s one of the few towers that have been preserved. It was built in 1437 during the strengthening of the city walls on the site of an ancient Gallo-Roman tower. Round, with 3 floors and a high roof: it was designed from the start for artillery . It’s named after “Jacob de Castel,” nicknamed “Camoufle,” a bombardier of the time so skilled that people said he made a pact with the devil! This tower defended the city until the siege of Charles V in 1552. If you look closely, you’ll see it bears traces of cannonballs. In 1732, the walls were reorganized while keeping the tower, even though, it was no longer of much use due to the progress of artillery. In 1903, the Germans wanted to expand the city beyond the walls and launched a major urbanization project to create the new imperial district. The walls were destroyed, and the ditch was filled in to create Foch Avenue. Nowadays, the spared tower gives an idea of where the old ramparts once stood.It has been classified as a historical monument since 1929.