Tour carrée du Roy René

Historic site and monument
Historic patrimony
Tower
15th C
Classified

Quai Du Port, 13002 Marseille 2ème

At the time of the Crusades, the site had been granted to the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem who settled on this steep promontory and built their Commandery there to transport troops to the Holy Land.

Show less

The Hospitallers occupied the former chapel of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, then began construction of a new church, hospital and Commander's palace. The whole complex was completed in 1365. The port entrance was controlled by a chain of 226 large rings linking the two towers of Saint-Nicolas and Maubec. When Marseille was sacked by the Aragonese in 1423, the chain was completely destroyed and taken as a trophy by the Spanish. King René, wishing to ensure more effective defense of the port, had a new tower built on the same site as the Maubec tower, which bears his name: Tour du Roy René or Tour Carrée (1447-1453). The 28.50-meter-high tower comprises 4 rooms served by a 147-step spiral staircase. The first room measures 42 m2, the second 58.60 m2, the third 44.20 m2, and the last 42.20 m2. The roof terrace has a usable surface area of 180 m2.

It now houses part of Mucem, the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilization.

Accessible for disabled