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Origin and history

The Lantern of the Dead of Nonglard is a 4-metre-high cylindrical building built in the 17th century in the village of Nonglard, Haute-Savoie. Unique in the region, it is distinguished by its five openings oriented towards the surrounding hamlets, surmounted by a cap. Its strategic location, at the crossroads of the roads leading to the different neighborhoods and close to the church, makes it a central landmark in the local landscape.

According to oral tradition, this lantern was erected after the plague epidemic of 1630, with the aim of keeping the wrong spirits away and protecting the population. The belief in its apotropaic power reflects the religious and superstitious practices of the time, marked by health crises and the quest for divine protection. The monument, which has been listed as a historical monument since 1964, was restored in 1996 to preserve its integrity.

The structure, owned by the municipality, consists of a stone barrel drilled openings intended to accommodate lanterns. Its sober and symbolic architecture illustrates the adaptation of medieval traditions — like the lanterns of the dead — to a Savoyard context of the seventeenth century. Although its exact use remains partially mysterious, its inscription in the heritage bears witness to its historical and cultural importance for Nonglard and the Albanais region.

The historical sources, including the works of Jean Brunier and Gilbert Viviant, underline its exceptional character in Savoie. These studies, published in local journals such as Les amis du vieux Rumilly or the Revue Savoisienne, help document its history, while leaving some areas of shadow, such as the identity of its builders or the specific rituals associated with it.

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