Saint-riquier

Founded at the 5th century, the city called Centule formerly. This city is developed around the monastery founded into 625 by Riquier, landowner convert with the Catholicism which évangélisa the North of France. The abbey " Centula" knows its apogee at the time of Charlemagne and counted in the year 800 more than 300 monks and a famous school. At this period, the cultural radiation of Centule largely overflows the borders of the Saint Worsens Germanic. Monastic city, Centule profited from this prosperity and would have sheltered until 15.000 inhabitants, protected by important fortifications where its nickname of " City with the hundred turns.

It was capital of Ponthieu at the 10th and 11th centuries before to be supplanted by Abbeville (Abbatis Villa: field of the abbots) where a port had been created.

In 1126 the middle-class men obtain abbots, the communal charter for the city, where construction of a belfry symbol of communal freedoms.

In the Middle Ages, and gradually, Centule takes the name of Saint-Riquier because of the enthusiasm of the pilgrimages to the relics of the saint, but the inhabitants will currently preserve the name of Centulois, always used.

A long time strengthened city of the Kingdom of France, Saint-Riquier underwent many invasions and destruction. It has the privilege to be able to raise the colors and the attributes of the royalty. The official armorial bearings are presented in the form d' a sowing of flowers of lily on field d' azure, the crowned whole of walls. The city owes this distinction with its length and rich person passed, its fidelity with the princes of the Kingdom of France and the sacrifices to ensure protection and the power of it.

Saint-Riquier played the part of fortified town, considered quasi-impregnable. François 1st came in person to consolidate it in this strategic role at the northern border of the kingdom and benefitted from it to pay homage and publicly thank two women for the city (Becquetoille and Bellegueulle) which, " disguised as hommes" had galvanized the defense of the city then attacked by the troops of Charles Quint, involving the middle-class men, the weak garrison, the clergy and the women to take share with the engagements.

It is the symbol of the municipal independence of Saint-Riquier who obtained in 1126 one of the first communal charters of France.

The first belfry being too close to the abbey, the powerful abbots required that a new belfry either built in the current site. Built at the 13th century, it was almost completely destroyed in 1475 on order of Louis XI, then rebuilt and completed in 1528.

Imposing 18 meters high square tower, the belfry owes its current installation with great work of rehabilitation in 1788 and 1789. It becomes Town hall where meetings of the municipal council and marriages were held until 2005.

It shelters the Trade union of Initiative on the first floor with the top of l' old prison of the Middle Ages.

Since 2005, the belfry is classified with the world heritage of UNESCO as 22 other belfries of the Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy.

This house, close to the place of the village, is announced by an architectural curiosity. Its pinion, marrying the form of bicornuate of Napoleon 1st, is surmounted by its statue.

It should be seen there; homage paid to the Emperor by  one as of its grognards, the sergeant Louis Joseph Petit, who after being wounded with the battle of Ligny on June 16, 1815, came to install in Saint-Riquier.

This is towards 1840 that it will make build this house. Louis Joseph Petit always rests with the cemetery of the commune.

The statue damaged by time was replaced with the identical by a work of the sculptor amiénois Leon Lamotte and inaugurated on May 1, 1962.

The house is registered in the inventory of the Historic buildings since 1928.

 Saint-Riquier had two strengthened enclosures:

the enclosure interns had four doors and a portelette.

The external enclosure had at least seven doors or portelettes.

Medieval ramparts of the city, there remain some wall remains and some turns in bad condition:

• "The tower of Noch" (best preserved).
• "The Saint-Jean" tower; (recently restored pertaining to the wall of the enclosure of the abbey).
• "The Margot" tower; (where meet the old ditches interior and outside of the city).
• "The Haimont" tower; (very degraded, it was sacrificed to the conveniences of transport in 1845).

 Located on the course of Scardon, the legend tells that these three sources would originate in the tears of three inconsolable smart ladieies which vainly awaited the return of their valiant knights knights died to the battle of Crécy in Ponthieu (August 26, 1346). These sources were protected a long time by three limes.