• Source: Lantern Tower (La Rochelle)

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




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. 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.




See also


Centre des monuments nationaux
Vauclair castle
La Rochelle Cathedral




References






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

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Lantern Tower (La Rochelle)
• The Chain Tower
• Saint Nicolas Tower
• La Rochelle
• Timeline of La Rochelle
• Aunis
• Rouen Cathedral
• Coutances Cathedral
• BrandSafway
• Centre des monuments nationaux