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Base Mérimée: Monuments historiques · France

Tour Florentine

Buire, Aisne, France

The record

Designation
Historic monument, classified (classé)
Protection
classé MH
Extent of protection
Tour (cad. A 1044) : classement par arrêté du 6 novembre 1995
Protection dates
1995/11/06 : classé MH
Type
gare
Main period of construction
1ère moitié 20e siècle
Dates
1920
Architect or builder
Umbdenstock Gustave (architecte)
Ownership
propriété de la commune
Commune
Buire
Département
Aisne
Region
Hauts-de-France
Country
France
Coordinates
49.91060, 4.07327
Mérimée reference
PA00116005

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1843 map "Carte de l'Etat-Major 1:40,000 (1820-1866)" (IGN France — Géoportail).

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This record on the Ministère de la Culture's POP platform ↗

The Ministère de la Culture's notice

Tour du poste d'aiguillage construite de 1920 à 1921 pour assurer le contrôle des mouvements à la gare de triage de Buire, devenue à la suite des agrandissements de 1923 la deuxième gare de triage en France, après celle de Paris. Cette importance s'explique par la situation des gares d'Hirson et de Buire, au point de jonction des réseaux Nord et Est. L'ouvrage est attribué à Gustave Umbdenstock, architecte attaché à cette époque à la Compagnie des chemins de fer du Nord, et auteur de la tour florentine de Lille-Délivrance (détruite en 1985). Construite en béton armé, la tour, d'environ 50 mètres de haut, s'inspire des traditionnels beffrois du Nord. Le décor en brique témoigne d'une influence Art Déco. Désaffectée depuis les dommages occasionnés par les bombardements de 1944, la tour reste un symbole de la culture cheminote qui marque la ville.

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Ministère de la Culture, in French. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Ministère de la Culture; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Tower of the signal box constructed from 1920 to 1921 to ensure control of movements at the marshalling yard of Buire, which became following the extensions of 1923 the second marshalling yard in France, after that of Paris. This importance is explained by the situation of the stations of Hirson and Buire, at the point of junction of the North and East networks. The work is attributed to Gustave Umbdenstock, architect attached at that time to the Company of Railways of the North, and author of the Florentine tower of Lille-Délivrance (destroyed in 1985). Constructed in reinforced concrete, the tower, approximately 50 metres high, is inspired by the traditional belfries of the North. The decoration in brick testifies to an Art Deco influence. Disused since the damage caused by the bombardments of 1944, the tower remains a symbol of the railway culture that marks the town.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Base Mérimée, Ministère de la Culture, data last updated 2026-09-17, reused under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab). Record text is reproduced unchanged. Ministère de la Culture · Licence Ouverte 2.0
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