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Origin and history

The bell tower Saint John is the only vestige of Saint John's church, demolished in 1887. Built from 1672 on the bases of a medieval church destroyed in 1545 by an explosion, the church was completed in 1699. Its temporary bell tower, erected in 1672, was rebuilt in 1754, perhaps by architect Gilles Nassivet, also responsible for the townhouse. The church, disused in 1887 and threatening to ruin, was demolished with the exception of the bell tower, which was restored by the architect Corbineau.

The Saint John church was located on the grounds of Perrot, given to the Hospitallers of Saint-Jean-de-Jérusalem by Aliénor d'Aquitaine in the 12th century. A first church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist was built there in the 14th century, but it was almost completely destroyed in 1545 by the explosion of a nearby powder shop. The recovered materials were reused to repair the city's fortifications in 1568. The reconstruction of the church began only in 1672, with a temporary bell tower erected on the foundations of the old.

The current bell tower, of octagonal style and with a modern dome, is a rare testimony of the 18th century religious architecture in La Rochelle. It was classified as a historical monument by decree of 23 February 1925. Although the church has disappeared, the bell tower remains a symbol of the historic and architectural heritage of the city, recalling its medieval past and its urban development over the centuries.

La Rochelle, the major port city on the Atlantic coast, experienced a turbulent history marked by conflicts, reconstructions and urban transformations. The Saint-Jean bell tower, by its persistence, illustrates the city's resilience to destruction and architectural developments. Today it is a landmark in the landscape of Rochenais, linked to the historical and cultural identity of the city.

The site of the bell tower, located Place du Maréchal Foch, is a central place in the city. Its inclusion in the inventory of historic monuments in 1925 underscores its heritage importance. Although devoid of its original religious function, the bell tower continues to mark the urban space and to recall the complex history of La Rochelle, between destruction, reconstruction and preservation of heritage.

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