Tour de l'Horloge
FortressHidden Treasure
Tour de l'Horloge, located in Salon-de-Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Fort
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.6413, 5.0970
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081466
A stone sentinel in the heart of Salon-de-Provence, the Tour de l'Horloge's baroque silhouette stands on the old fortified belt. Its clock face and campanile make it the beating heart of the old Provencal town.
History
At the crossroads of Salon-de-Provence's fragrant lanes, the Tour de l'Horloge is an essential landmark in the urban fabric of this town in the Berre region. Erected in the 17th century on the remains of the medieval fortifications that once encircled the town, it embodies the dual purpose of Provençal clock towers: both a symbol of municipal authority and a practical instrument for regulating the daily lives of local residents. What sets the Tour de l'Horloge apart is its ability to combine in a single building several functions that were essential to the urban community of the Ancien Régime. The town gate, belfry and public clock are superimposed with an economy of means typical of Provençal architecture of the Grand Siècle, far removed from the ornamental profusion of buildings in the north of the kingdom. The local limestone, cut with care, gives it that golden hue that blazes in the setting sun, characteristic of the built landscapes of inland Provence. The visit is particularly rewarding for those who take the time to look up: the campanile at the top, probably added to or remodelled during the 17th century, houses the clock mechanism and a bell, the sound of which still punctuates life in the historic centre. From the summit, when access is permitted, the panorama takes in the Roman-tiled roofs of the old town and, on a clear day, the first undulations of the Crau and Alpilles mountains. The surrounding area, dense and authentic, is ideal for exploring on foot. The Tour de l'Horloge is the natural starting point for a stroll to the Château de l'Empéri, the Collegiate Church of Saint-Laurent and the narrow streets where Nostradamus spent the last years of his life. The Tower is part of a coherent heritage ensemble that makes Salon-de-Provence one of the most attractive towns of art and history in the Bouches-du-Rhône.
Architecture
The Clock Tower has the characteristic profile of the civil belfries of southern France in the 17th century: a compact quadrangular volume, raised on several levels, crowned by an openwork campanile housing the bell and the clock mechanism. The masonry, built of limestone extracted from local quarries in the Étang de Berre region, has the beautiful ochre-blonde colouring typical of Provencal architecture, which reacts intensely to variations in Mediterranean light. The openings in the tower reflect the evolution of its purpose: the lower levels, more massive and less open, are reminiscent of the original defensive function of a gate or watchtower, while the upper parts are lightened by arcades and bays to expose the clock face to passers-by and broadcast the sound of the bell in all directions. The careful but not ostentatious treatment of the corners and the few elements of modenature - moulded cornices and soberly classical window surrounds - demonstrate a certain mastery of the architectural canons of the period, without lapsing into costly ornamentation. The crown of the tower deserves particular attention: the wrought-iron or openwork masonry campanile that surmounts the whole constitutes the most expressive element of the silhouette, giving the building its assertive verticality in the panorama of the old town. This type of termination, found on many contemporary Provencal belfries - in Aix-en-Provence, Manosque and Draguignan - shows that Salon's Clock Tower belongs to a coherent family of civic monuments from the 17th century in the south of France.
Related Figures
Nostradamus — astrologue et médecin né en 1503, il vécut à Salon-de-Provence de 1547 jusqu'à sa mort en 1566 ; contemporain des premières fortifications transformées en édifices civiquesLouis XIV — sous son règne, la transformation des tours défensives en beffrois civils s'accélère dans toute la ProvenceLes consuls de Salon-de-Provence — magistrats municipaux du XVIIe siècle, commanditaires de la modernisation horlogère de la tourLes archevêques d'Arles — anciens seigneurs de Salon, ils supervisèrent pendant des siècles les fortifications dont la tour est héritièreInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (XIXe-XXe s.) — responsables du classement de 1912 et de l'inscription de 1926 qui protégèrent durablement l'édifice
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Tour de l'Horloge located?
Tour de l'Horloge is located in Salon-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Tour de l'Horloge built?
Tour de l'Horloge dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Tour de l'Horloge open to visitors?
Tour de l'Horloge is currently closed to visitors.