The Cinq-Mars pile is an ancient tower that overlooks the Loire Valley in the commune of Cinq-Mars-la-Pile, located in Indre-et-Loire, approximately twenty kilometers west of Tours.
The tower, nearly 30 meters high and exceptionally well-preserved, stands on the slope of a hill with abundant evidence of human occupation during antiquity.
This probable funerary monument (mausoleum or cenotaph) is part of a diverse group of similar structures in southwestern France, notably in Charente-Maritime and Gers. It has unique architectural features - brick cladding over Roman concrete and distinctive decoration, featuring twelve panels adorned with geometric motifs whose significance remains unknown, making it a one-of-a-kind monument in France. Its placement outside a funerary enclosure also appears unconventional.
This monument has been renowned for centuries, even mentioned by Rabelais in Gargantua (chapter XV of the 1534 first edition). Since the 19th century, when the first comprehensive studies and organized excavations were conducted, various theories have been proposed to explain its origin and function, with some more fanciful than others. However, none have been entirely convincing, including attempts to decipher the name "Cinq-Mars." A significant breakthrough in understanding the monument occurred in the early 21st century with the 2005 discovery of structures (podium, building) and decorative elements (statue) in its vicinity, revealing that the pile is part of a larger site. This larger site could potentially be a tomb or monument honoring a Turonian or Roman dignitary renowned for military achievements, likely constructed in the second half of the 2nd century or early 3rd century. The Cinq-Mars pile, possibly a later addition, may have been built to mark the location of this mausoleum or cenotaph and to enhance the prestige of this individual. It is speculated that the family of this dignitary resided nearby, possibly at a site as yet undiscovered, on the plateau north of the pile.
The site underwent developments in 2010 to enhance visitor reception and information. Since 2014, the podium walls have been undergoing restoration.
Location and toponymy The Cinq-Mars-la-Pile commune is located 18 km downstream from Tours, along the Loire. The village center is on the right bank, at the base, and on the slope of the hill.
The Cinq-Mars pile is located 1.5 km east of the main town of the commune. It sits on the slope of a hill on a small artificially leveled terrace measuring 50 × 19 m at an altitude of 60 m. The plateau is 250 m north of the pile reaches an altitude of 80 m, while the valley at 40 m altitude is only 100 m south of the pile. In the 21st century, the confluence of the Loire and the Cher rivers is located in this area.
The Cinq-Mars pile was located on private land in 1840 when it was designated as a historical monument. Over the years, through legal proceedings,: Acquisition et premiers travaux de restauration the monument and the surrounding land parcels are now owned by the Indre-et-Loire departmental council in the 21st century.: Introduction
The toponym Cinq-Mars [la-Pile] is probably derived from Sanctus Medardus (Saint Médard), as seen in texts from the 10th to 16th centuries (Rabelais mentions "sainct Mars auprés de Langés" in the 1542 edition of Gargantua). Attempts to explain this toponym by the presence of five pillars (five marks or milestones) at the top of the pile, or by the existence of the tomb of five warriors (quinque martes) or a famous character (Quintus Marcius) are not convincing, even if they cannot be definitively ruled out.
The pile in the 21st century
General architecture
Structure and general dimensions Pile is a generic term used to describe ancient monuments, typically assumed as funerary structures in the form of solid towers. This particular pile stands at a height of 29.60 meters, equivalent to one hundred Roman feet. It bears resemblance to other piles found in the Centre-Val de Loire region, such as those in Marcé-sur-Esves (Indre-et-Loire) and Mazangé (Loir-et-Cher), as well as in Charente-Maritime (Tour de Pirelonge). Similar structures can also be found near Auch, with twelve examples recorded, and in Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, where at least five exist, despite their varied appearances. The Cinq-Mars pile also shares similarities with funerary monuments in Germania, like the Igel Column.
The pile consists of five superimposed structures from the foundation to the capstone.
Foundations At the base of the pile, the tufa terrace on the hillside was levelled and then overcut. A layer of fine gravel (dry stone masonry) was placed at the bottom of this excavation to complete the levelling of the ground, and on this base a 1.30 m high masonry mass was built, composed of a mixture of limestone and siliceous stones bonded with pink tuileau mortar, which forms the base of the monument's structure.
Three elevation levels In the construction of the pile, two types of materials are used, excluding the capstone. The facing consists of rectangular bricks measuring on average 0.36 × 0.24 m with a thickness of 0.04 m.: Architecture These bricks are laid flat in five rows, alternating in width and length to avoid vertical joint alignment. An estimated 104,000 bricks are used in 580 rows from the base to the top of the pile. The bricks may have been locally made, as suggested by the continued presence of brick-making in Cinq-Mars-la-Pile until the 1930s. The facing, with a smooth inner face,: Architecture encloses a rubble masonry core about 1.90 m thick. The core contains larger stones in the center, decreasing in size towards the face. The limestone stones in the core, bound with mortar, likely originate from local quarries, possibly from the hill itself.
No putlog holes are visible on the pile walls, indicating that the scaffolding used during the construction was placed directly against the structure. The pile's elevation consists of three sub-assemblies above the foundations.The base of the pile measures 5.80 meters per side, equivalent to 20 Roman feet at ground level, with a height of 4.75 meters. Gradually narrowing towards the top, its width decreases to slightly over 5.00 meters, resembling a truncated pyramid. This design, with slightly protruding brick rows, aims to replicate the cornices and moldings of Roman architecture, showcasing a significant aesthetic endeavor.: Architecture
The first floor of the main body of the pyramid is 16.50 meters high and measures only 4.40 meters per side, equivalent to 15 Roman feet. It is adorned with a protruding cord made of two rows of bricks at the top. This pyramid section is notably uniform, with occasional variations in mortar color suggesting possible restoration efforts.: Architecture
The third component of the pile's elevation (second floor), which is 9 meters high, has a slight setback compared to the previous one (with a square base of 4.30 meters per side). However, this setback is not consistent on all four sides of the pile; it is smaller to the north and non-existent to the east. As a result, this part of the pile appears to be "placed" on the previous one but offset to the northeast. This misalignment could be attributed to a construction error or it may have been intentional to rebalance the structure. There is no definitive evidence to determine between the two possibilities.: Architecture
Capstone
The modern capstone of the stack includes a series of corbels (eight on each side) alternating with recessed bricks. These corbels support a flattened rhomboidal pyramid at each corner, each equipped with a small square-sectioned brick pillar (0.37 m per side and 3.25 m high). These pillars, resting on the corner corbels at the base of the capstone, are embedded in the corners of the rhomboidal pyramid and are topped with a small pyramid with jagged edges.: Architecture
The architecture of this capstone, as it appears in the 21st century, has undergone significant changes from its original form. Successive repair and restoration projects have altered its appearance, making it difficult to determine its original configuration. Many questions remain unanswered about the sculptures on the modillions due to their degraded state in the 19th century. The shape of the large upper pyramid may have been a smooth-sided pyramid, and the exact number of pilettes is uncertain. The debate continues regarding the fifth pilette at the top of the large pyramid,: Acquisition et premiers travaux de restauration with local tradition suggesting it was overturned in 1751 after a hurricane. If this fifth pilette did exist, it may have supported a funerary urn at its top, similar to the arrangement seen in Pompeii on the monument to Herennius Celsus, where a funerary urn sits atop a column.: Les recherches faites aux xixe et xxe siècles
Decoration
The south face of the pile, the most visible, features twelve panels in its upper part. Initially, there was debate over the number of panels, which was set at eleven due to the poor conservation state of some. However, the twelfth panel, proposed by Louis de La Saussaye in 1835, now seems to be the consensus.: Décor The panels are made of red bricks and white limestone stones arranged alternately with mortar. The mortar, sometimes heavily red-tinted due to crushed brick, even contributes to the decoration of some panels.: Décor The panels are embedded in the facing of the pile to a depth of 0.36 m and measure about one meter per side for the nine largest. They are arranged in six rows, with three, two, two, one, two, and two panels from top to bottom. Four layers of bricks separate each row of decorative panels. There are no molding frames around the decorative panels. In contrast to other funerary piles in Aquitaine, where the most visible face is carved with a niche for a statue, this pile features decorative panels on its face.
Four of these panels are almost intact, allowing for a possible reconstruction of their decoration. Four of them are destroyed, and their original appearance cannot be predicted. The remaining four are damaged, but the surviving parts do not allow for a plausible reconstruction of their decoration, except for panel no. 3, which can be attributed, by symmetry, to the same decoration as panel No. 1.The panels are numbered from left to right and top to bottom. Attempts to reconstruct this decoration have been more or less successful, with one of the most accurate seeming to be from 1903. Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the deterioration of the decorations: cannonballs were allegedly fired at the pile from Villandry, more than 3 km southeast of the pile, or the bricks were "eaten by the moon.: Les « mosaïques » de la face sud" The reality seems much simpler: besides natural erosion, it is known that before the 19th century, people climbed along the face of the pile using ropes or scaffolding to attack the decoration with picks. The tool marks were visible during the restoration campaign that started in 1843. This was likely done to recover elements or, more likely, to find a "treasure" as the cavities made exceed the thickness of the decorative panels.