A living and animated heritage!
In the Giennois, we don't just have heritage: we have a real heritage, which has been able to preserve itself, evolve and stand out!
Gien, a city of history
City rich in a unique historical heritage, Gien has developed following many reigns and dominations.
In the Middle Ages, the construction of a fortress to defend the city attracted people in search of protection. But this rise gave rise to rivalries between lords and then to wars, to which King Philippe Auguste put an end. This intervention earned the city to be incorporated into the Crown in 1199.
The city will then prosper, and reach its peak in the XNUMXth century under the patronage of Anne de Beaujeu.
Unfortunately, following this period tragic events occur. From then on, Gien continued to suffer from confrontations (Armagnacs against Burgundians, the Fronde, etc.) and the misdeeds of wars (Hundred Years War, religious wars, World War II, etc.).
Despite everything, Gien has been able to resist the onslaught of history and today shines in all its splendour.
A city of architecture
Between castle, old arcades, churches, museums and parks, Gien offers all its architectural riches in the open air. The quays on the banks of the Loire and the Old Bridge are not to be outdone and are ideal for pleasant bucolic walks along the water.
A Jewel of Reconstruction
On June 15, 1940, the Luftwaffe bombed the city to prevent the retreat of the French army. A gigantic fire breaks out, the city burns for 3 days, 422 buildings are destroyed, and more than 300 others become uninhabitable.
The reconstruction was done in 1946 according to the plans of the architect André Laborie, who found very harmonious compromises between the style of the region and the requirements of modern life.
