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Origin and history

The Garrabets dovecote is a square tower located in Castelnau-de-Lévis, in the Tarn region of Occitanie. Dating from the 4th quarter of the 15th century, it is distinguished by its structure in squared limestone bellows, with carefully cut angles and openings. Although its initial function remains uncertain, the upper floors could have served as a dovecote from the outset, while the lower levels may have had a residential vocation. The building, consisting of four floors, including a semi-deep ground floor, has separate entrances for each level.

The mouldings around the openings, including a monolithic lintel window and a door in the middle of a chamfered hanger, suggest a construction dating back to the late 15th century. The dovecote is listed as historical monuments by order of 11 August 2010. Owned by the municipality, it is located below Castelnau-de-Lévis Castle, highlighting its integration into a larger architectural complex.

The building illustrates the rural architecture of the late medieval period in Occitanie, where pigeons played an economic and symbolic role for local lords. These structures were used not only to rear pigeons, a source of meat and fertilizer, but also to assert a social status. The presence of this type of monument reflects the agricultural and seigneurial organization of the region at the end of the Middle Ages.

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