The Lantern Tower (French: tour de la Lanterne) is one of the three medieval historic towers in La Rochelle, Poitou-Charentes, France, which guarded the port at Aunis. The Lantern tower served as a Lighthouse and a prison throughout its history. It was also known by other names: Garrot tower, Priest tower, and Four Sergeant tower. In 1789 the French government declared it a Monument historique[1]
History
The original purpose of the tower was to watch ship traffic in the port. It also served as a lighthouse. In the 1500s the tower was used to imprison priests.[2] It was a multi-purpose building: used both as a lighthouse and a prison. The tower was used to watch the Aunis coastline during the middle ages; and it was used to guide ships into port. Throughout its history it was also used to house prisoners: first priests, then sailors, and finally prisoners from the Wars of the Vendée.[3]
See also
References
- ^ Base Mérimée: Saint-Nicolas tower, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
- ^ "Lantern Tower in La Rochelle". viafrance.com. Via France. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
- ^ "The Lantern Tower (La Tour de la Lanterne)". poitou-charentes-vendee.com. Poitou Charentes Vendee. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
External links
Media related to Tour de la Lanterne at Wikimedia Commons
- Saint-Barthélémy bell-tower at Structurae
- La Rochelle et Son Histoire: Tours (in French)
- Église paroissiale Saint-Barthélemy à La Rochelle (in French)
- Photos, French Ministry of Culture
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