Tour de la Lanterne

About this place

The Lantern Tower 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 Begin with the overall setting, then look more closely at the details described in the site history. This connects the monument with the city around it and helps distinguish its original purpose from the meanings it acquired in later generations.