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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Sarrasine Tower of Vitrolles is a monument located in the commune of Vitrolles, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Although its exact origin and construction period are not specified in the available sources, it is recognized as a local historical vestige. Its ruins have been protected since 1929, attesting to its heritage importance to the region.

The towers of this type, often called "sarrasins" in southern France, were generally linked to defensive or surveillance systems built between the Middle Ages and the modern era. In medieval and pre-modern Provence, these buildings played a key role in protecting territories, signalling or controlling communication axes. Their presence often reflects a period marked by military tensions or local defence needs, in a region then crossed by intense cultural and commercial exchanges between the Mediterranean and the hinterland.

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